24 May 2011

Weekend baking with your son : Spiced Apple Muffins

One jolly little muffin, with serried ranks of muffin-ness behind
Hubby and I had been discussing the issue of Son & heir's breaktimes when at school.  Or, more specifically, what he is eating at said breaktimes.

I had found myself falling into a trap of simply getting a cereal biscuit bar from the cupboard and sending him off with that.  Now, okay, the cereal biscuit bars I had chosen weren't the worst in the world, being low in fat and sugar, but then they weren't great either.

So I resolved that as, for the next few years, I shall be responsible for what goes into him at times such as this, I'd better get my act together and provide something "healthy", or watch him disappear into obesity - which is a family trait.

I think the slide into grabbing something from the cupboard is a symptom of my gradual slide towards ill health, as it is infinitely easier to spend the few seconds doing so than fixing up a healthy snack which inevitably takes longer and costs more to me in energy etc.  However, I can't help but think that it costing me in energy etc., is probably a good thing as opposed to a bad thing - even though it may hurt like hell in the long run.

Now I won't claim to have hit upon the answer, but this is a topic upon which I shall be returning to for regular performance reviews.  (Oooh, that takes me back to working for the Civil Service and their regular performance reviews.  ~shudder~).

The programme I'm working to at the moment, is fairly easy.  Well, it has to be really.  In the same way as I meal plan for each week, I shall snack plan too.

So, here's how this week is shaping up :

Monday : Spiced Apple Muffin
Tuesday : Peach
Wednesday : small pack of plain savoury biscuits
Thursday : Spiced Apple Muffin
Friday : Apple

On the occasions when I haven't been able to bake, I'll break out the cereal biscuits.  However, I'm aiming to change the plan to include three items of fruit in a week - but I've got to go slowly, or there'll be complaints!
The plain savoury biscuits are one section from a Party Snack Pack.  Each section is easily cut away from the rest and as the biscuits are baked, not fried, and don't contain cheese, I figure they're not too terrible at 114 calories a section.  The crackers are mainly a selection of wheat, sesame and poppy seed crackers and at £1 for a pack of eight sections, it's pretty darned economical, too!

So, from reading along, I'd say you've probably guessed what this recipe is all about - the Spiced Apple Muffins.  They've got to be healthier than the cereal bars, and even if they're not, at least I know exactly what went into them!

Don't worry if you don't have a set of American style measuring cups - just use a teacup! So long as you use the same cup throughout, you'll be fine.  Try to resist sprinkling more sugar on their tops - it's nice, but it's just more sugar.

We made these together, in that I cut up the apples and son & heir did everything else - including licking the bowl clean.  Well, it just has to be done when you're 12, doesn't it!
SPICED APPLE MUFFINS (makes around 12)

Ingredients :

2 cups grated apple (did mine in a food processor : 1 bramley, 1 cox, 1 gala!)
2 cups plain flour
half a cup of sugar
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch salt
half a cup of raisins
half a cup of dessicated coconut
half a cup of vegetable oil
quarter of a cup of olive oil
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
3 eggs.

Method :

1.  Pre-heat oven to 180deg C.

2.  In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.

3.  In a smaller bowl, beat the eggs and oil together.

4.  Add the oil mixture and grated apple to the dry ingredients and stir until it has all combined.  Don't over-stir.

5.  Spoon into muffin cases and bake for approx 20-25 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.



4 comments:

  1. I love this idea and shall be attempting it with The Boy at some stage. I was wondering about using up older, less-appetising bananas in this way, and also about substituting one of the eggs and a bit of the oil with a flavoured yoghurt. I'm sure that's what a friend of mine used to do .. also, can you use half whole-meal flour, do you reckon?

    ReplyDelete
  2. With this recipe, anything goes. So, yes, old bananas are a brilliant addition - just watch that the mix doesn't become too wet. Yoghurt works well, as I have put a past it's best Greek Yoghurt in before now. Half wholemeal flour would be lovely - with banana, you'll probably get a perfect mix. Otherwise you may find it a bit dry - in which case just add a little milk. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. All such great apple recipes, thanks, Jenny.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're very welcome Carole. :) I Stumbled the page when I was there, too.

      Delete

I love to receive messages from you all, so if you can spare the time, comment away!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...