Apple Muffins

These are another one of my favorite muffin recipes. Can you tell yet that I love muffins?! This recipe has whole wheat flour, applesauce, buttermilk, and chopped apples... with a pecan crumb topping. YUM. It is very healthy - it makes nearly 2 dozen muffins and there is only 1/4 cup of oil in the recipe. Score! The buttermilk and applesauce make them so moist. These are marvelous!

Apple Muffins
Submitted by Erin

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
½ c. chopped pecans
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ c. packed brown sugar
¼ c. canola oil
2 large eggs
1 c. natural applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ c. lowfat buttermilk
1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch pieces (Sometimes I add more, just 'cause I like lots of pieces of apple in them.)

Preheat oven to 400°. Coat a muffin pan with cooking spray.
In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup brown sugar with the pecans and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, combine ¾ c. brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the applesauce and vanilla.
Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk until just combined. Gently stir in the apple chunks.
Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pecan mixture. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 19 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Makes ~20 muffins.