High Altitude Baking: Apple Muffins

Life with a 6-month-old is hectic.  Where does the time go?!  Between diaper changes, 3 a.m. feedings, laundry (and more laundry), tracking the milestones, daycare pickup and dropoff, doggie daycare pickup and dropoff, and two parents working full-time, it feels like an accomplishment just to make it through each week alive, but we're adapting to our new routine and celebrating Baby Ady's achievements!  Now that she is six months old we have started introducing solid food.  We're allowing her to take the lead by showing interest in food and bringing it to her mouth.  We tried some peas, a few cooked carrots, avocado, sweet potato, and a baked apple slice.  She held everything in her mouth but it all eventually ended up on her bib (and in her lap).  We'll keep trying!

This past week was Teacher Appreciation Week at our daycare center.  There was a theme each day and the director encouraged parents to bring little gifts throughout the week as a thank-you to our amazing teachers.  For the breakfast buffet I made some yummy apple muffins from my Pie in the Sky high-altitude cook book!  (See previous post about High Altitude Coffee Cake.) These muffins are delicious and I especially love the cinnamon-sugar crumble on top.  I doubled the recipe and ended up with about 3 dozen medium-sized muffins.  Enjoy!!

                                      

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

Recipe for 7,000 ft elevation (Santa Fe)

Ingredients:

For the topping:

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut up

Pinch salt

For the muffins:

1 medium granny smith or golden delicious apple 

1/2 cup raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup apple juice

Directions:

1.  Position the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.  Coat muffin cups with nonstick spray.

2.  In a medium bowl, toss together all the topping ingredients, and pinch everything together with your fingertips to make crumbs.  Set aside.

3.  Peel and core the apple.  Chop it into small pieces and put it in a small bowl with the raisins.  Add the vanilla, toss, and set aside.

4.  In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, white and whole-wheat flours, baking power, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Crumble in the sugar, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar.  

5.  Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture and add the eggs, oil, sour cream, and apple juice.  With a whisk or fork, first blend the wet ingredients together, then work in the dry ingredients.  Stir in the apples and raisins, do not overmix.

6.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling them nearly full.  Sprinkle generously with streusel crumbs.  Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and well-risen and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool slightly on a wire rack, and serve warm.

Ady tackles real food:

Yum! Avocado!