Apple Muffins

Fall is apple season and we love apples around here. I usually have apples in the fridge year ‘round, but there are so many more varieties in the fall, that I often have a drawer full of all different kinds.

As a matter of fact, when I was in the store recently picking up some apples, I had an encounter with an older gentleman…

While I was zipping around the produce section, I noticed him struggling to open one of those plastic bags that they put out purely to torture customers.  Seriously, what  kind of sick, twisted mind thought it would be a hoot to make those bags harder to open than Al Capone’s vault? If I’m not frustrated enough by the time I get to the store with all the construction they seem to be endlessly doing in our area, and all the people on the road who should not even be allowed to walk  never mind drive, the bags can push me right over the edge.

Which is why I figured out some time ago the secret…..if your fingers are wet, the bags open rather easily and prevent things ending badly for some poor, hapless store employee. “Customer meltdown in aisle 2.  Bring lavender and chocolate. Stat”

Trying to be helpful, I offered to share my trick with him. I headed for the nearest bin that was filled with ice chips to keep the containers of melon cool and ran my fingers over the ice a few times before opening the bag.

”Wow,” he marveled. “ Who taught you that?”

”Actually, I figured it out all by myself.” And you’re welcome for the help.

”No, really.  That’s a great trick. Where did you learn it?”

So what you are saying is that I look too dumb to have come up with it all by my little old self? It’s not the secret to the universe, dude.  I haven’t figured out time travel or how to beam people up.  At best, it’s a “Hints from Heloise” household tip type of thing.  Really, a simple thank you would have sufficed.

Not sure if there was enough lavender and chocolate in the entire store to talk me down from that conversation.  Lucky for him, my phone rang and distracted me while he made his getaway. Pretty sure he never realized how close to being on the evening news he had come.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups spelt flour ( I’ve also used stone ground wheat, but the texture is coarser and the muffins is not quite as moist)
• 1/4 cup millet flour
• 1 teaspoon  baking soda
  

  Pictured is the whole wheat flour, but spelt will give a smoother texture

• 1/2 cup monk fruit
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons (heaping) arrowroot powder
• 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) vegan butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup peeled and diced apple ( I like gala or Braeburn)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350.  Put the stick of butter in a heatproof container and let it melt in the oven as it warms up.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium to large bowl.
3. Whisk wet ingredients together in a small bowl.  If the applesauce or almond milk is cold because it has been in the fridge, you might want to temper the hot butter by adding a bit of the cold mix to the hot and stirring for a bit then pouring the butter into the rest of the wet so the butter doesn’t solidify when it hits the cold ingredients,  or you can mix the butter directly into the dry ingredients until it looks like breadcrumbs, then add the rest of the wet mix and stir till combined.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir till just combined.  Fold in the diced apple.  Let the batter sit about 5 while you line 12 muffin tins with cups.
5. Using an ice cream scoop, add one scoop to each cup, then put in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool in pan.

Enjoy!