Fit Friday Baking: Treasure Muffins

How about a delicious muffin that can be a healthy breakfast option or a tasty dessert?

Everyone just loves a treasure, especially when that treasure is sweet and berry filling 😉

Treasure Muffins
–adapted from Clean Eating Magazine

INGREDIENTS:

• Olive oil cooking spray (optional)
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 2/3 cup honey or agave nectar (I was going to use agave, but switched to honey)
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tbsp flaxseeds, finely ground
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries or combination), fresh or frozen (do not thaw), divided, plus 12 raspberries for garnish
• 3 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped (I used carob)
• 2 tbsp unsweetened almond or rice milk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 cups of a muffin tray with paper liners or mist with cooking spray. 

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, agave nectar or honey, applesauce, 1/4 cup water, flaxseeds, vanilla and vinegar. Set aside for at least 2 minutes while measuring dry ingredients.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir briefly to combine. Pour wet mixture over dry mixture and stir to blend well.

Fill each muffin cup with about 1 tbsp batter, spreading to cover bottom and part way up the side of each cup. Place a heaping tsp of berries (about 4 to 5 berries) over the center of the batter (I chopped mine up in my food processor) , taking care not to let berries touch the sides of the cup.

Top with another spoonful of batter, and gently spread batter to cover berries completely. Make sure to use all the batter, dividing evenly among 12 muffin cups.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating tray about halfway through, until cupcakes are golden and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean (it may be moist but shouldn’t have any batter on it). Remove and allow to cool at room temperature for 5 minutes before removing cupcakes from tray to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Combine chocolate and milk in a large heatproof bowl set over a small pot of simmering water over low heat. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and can be drizzled; add more milk if necessary to achieve desired texture. 

Once cupcakes are cool, drizzle chocolate glaze across the top of each cupcake, then top with a little powder sugar or don’t top at all.

Happy FIT FRIDAY to YOU!