Tasty Tuesday----Delectable Applesauce Muffins...

Good morning, everyone! I wanted to say thank you for the many emails and responses I received yesterday from my Monday post. I am privileged to pray for all of you, to reach out and share a little bit of your hardship with you, and for that I am thankful.

Let me say it again--take heart.

Whether it is the battle, or the war, it is still in the hands of the Lord, and that is the best place to be. If you missed the post yesterday, it is directly beneath this one if you keep scrolling. :)

We have been blessed with so many things in abundance around here this year, that posting many recipes that use apples has been sort of on the peripheral edge of my mind, but never quite front and center. Please forgive me for overlooking this inexpensive and healthy alternative for you as I have been neck deep in pumpkins for a while now.

Applesauce is not just healthy, but packed with fiber, filling up your body and adding many vitamins and minerals to each bite you take. Applesauce, or any fruit sauce for that matter, is a simple thing to make. If you have apples in your fridge that are becoming mealy, and not crisp, cut them up, core them, and place them on the back of the stove in a heavy stock pan. Add a small amount of water, a little bit of sugar, and let it cook down. I use a small stick blender to puree mine, but once they get really soft you can even use a fork or a potato masher for chunky applesauce.

Best news is, this can be used as a replacement for oil in many recipes, giving you an even healthier alternative than many things available on the market. It keeps baked products moist, and gives you a healthy punch when eaten. You can use applesauce to substitute for oil in most recipes, just use 1/4 cup for most recipes that ask for 2-3 cups of flour or other grain flour.

These Delectable Applesauce Muffins have a crispy outside and almost-cake-donut texture inside. We often will top with toasted walnuts right before baking them, or coconut. You can fold in pieces of apples as well, making them even more filling as a snack or breakfast. Better yet, if you have ANY kind of fruit sauce--apple cranberry, cranberry, pear sauce, pumpkin puree, strawberry puree or jelly, etc, those can be substituted in for the amount of applesauce in here. If you have something that you are adding that already has a sugar base, avoid adding more sugar, obviously, or these will be through-the-roof sweet. :)

Delectable Applesauce Muffins

wet ingredients: 

2 cups applesauce

3 eggs

1/4 cup oil (I use coconut)

1/4 cup butter, melted

Dry ingredients, whisked together then added to wet in mixer bowl:

3 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour 

(I used my pastry setting on my WonderMill)

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups to 2 cups dark brown sugar or sucanat

2 1/2 tsp of Apple Pie Spice, or cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice mixed

Toppings: toasted chopped nuts, coconut, or even a simple cream cheese frosting

Blend the wet ingredients until completely blended. I use the whisk on my Kitchen Aid. Next change to the cookie dough paddle, and mix in the dry ingredients about a cup at a time. Blend well, pour into greased muffin tins, and bake at 350* for around 20 minutes. This batter can also be made into a quick bread, which bakes at 350* for around 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.and without batter.

Today, on the 13th day of the month, I am incredibly thankful for the Grain Mill Wagon Company, who not only gave me a wonderful chance to participate in the Grain Mill Wagon Challenge, but also who gave me a WonderMill, and then is still a working partner with The Welcoming House for as long as I want to work with them. 

What an incredible blessing!!

  After Thanksgiving I will be doing a review of the WonderMill versus the NutriMill that I used before partnering with them. Believe it or not, there is a HUGE difference between different grains mills and how they work with different families' needs!

thank you Grain Mill Wagon!

Beginning tomorrow, we are having a count down to Thanksgiving ~ Its hard to believe it but it is only 8 days away!!! I hope you have your family coming, and recipes ready. Remember that many things go on sale around this time of year that you can stock up on then have all year round. Cranberries and butter are two of things that come to mind right away. I will be covering Kids' Crafts, table decorations, and our dinner Menu here at The Welcoming House. Hope you come back to join us!

Many Blessings to you and yours,

Heather