Recipe: Healthy apple, walnut and cinnamon muffins

After discovering my 'go-to' muffin recipe with these Raspberry, Macadamia and Chocolate muffins I decided I wanted to make an even healthier version.  

These not only meet my healthy guidelines but they also got the approval of my sweet tooth family as being blog worthy.  I'm a bit fussy about what I send in the lunch box but these meet my approval, you'll just have to leave out the walnuts if your school is nut free and maybe try substituting chia seeds or sultanas instead.

Healthy apple, walnut and cinnamon muffins

2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
1/8 cup caster sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg, whisked
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup rice malt syrup
110g apple sauce
1 granny smith apple, 
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.  Place paper liners in a 12 cup muffin tin.  Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and whisk to break up lumps. Cut your apple in half.  Cut 12 thin slices from one half.  Chop what ever is left over into a small dice.  Fold in the vanilla, oil, apple sauce, egg, milk, diced apple and nuts until just combined.  Fill the muffin trays half way and then place a slice of apple in each muffin.  Use remaining mixture to top each muffin.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Bonus Recipe:  Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins

These need a little more sugar as you don't get added sweetness from apple or cinnamon.

2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk or soured milk
1 egg, whisked
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup rice malt syrup
1/ 2 cup plain greek yoghurt
1-2 tbsp poppy seeds 
Zest and juice of one lemon

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.  Place paper liners in a 12 cup muffin tin. .  Combine flour and sugar in a bowl and whisk to break up lumps.  Fold in the vanilla, oil, yoghurt, egg, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest and poppy seeds until just combined.  Fill the muffin trays and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

I'm also sending this to Emily at A Mummy Too for

Happy baking
Dani