by Ginger Voight

Created on: May 22, 2010   Last Updated: October 04, 2010

Heart Happy Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins

Oatmeal can be a healthy addition to your diet thanks to its high fiber content, which is good for things like lowering cholesterol. However regular oatmeal can be boring day after day, and it can take some creativity to balance exciting flavor and adding any ingredients takes away from the health benefits.

With many staples you may already have on hand, this recipe allows you to whip up some fragrant warm muffins to enjoy on a lazy Sunday morning, then use the leftovers for a quick breakfast on the go all week for a breakfast that is under 200 calories per serving, with over three grams of healthy fiber.

It's true that muffins can be riddled with unhealthy additives and hidden calories, but this vegan recipe takes away the egg and most of the oil with the use of mashed banana and applesauce. And because it has several fruits, there is no need for a lot of processed sugar either. The final result is not overly sweet, which allows all the other flavors to come through. Even your non-Vegan friends and family will love the final result, especially kids.

Rounding out this recipe is a bit of flaxseed for heart friendly Omega-3 fatty acids that studies have shown can help lower cholesterol, control high blood pressure and even fight cancer and aid digestion. It's earthy flavor adds a nice layer to this dense and satisfying muffin.

Ingredients

Dry

1 ½ cup oatmeal

1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

1 ½ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp allspice

1 tsp baking powder

½ tbsp ground flaxseed

Wet

1 cup applesauce, unsweetened

½ cup almond milk

½ cup brown sugar

2 tbsp oil

½ mashed banana

1 tsp vanilla

Add-ins

¼ cup raisins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare 12 cup muffin pan with light coating of baking spray. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Mix wet ingredients together in larger bowl, and then incorporate dry ingredients slowly, mixing thoroughly. Fold in raisins. Pour batter into baking pan, cups will be almost completely full.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Servings Per Recipe: 12 Amount Per Serving Calories: 159.3 Total Fat: 3.8 g Cholesterol: 0.0 mg Sodium: 207.7 mg Total Carbs: 31.7 g Dietary Fiber: 3.6 g Protein: 3.7 g

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