Welcome Fall

I hope that everyone had a fantastic Labor Day Weekend!!  Now, I know that you may be thinking my post title of "Welcome Fall" is a bit premature since fall does not officially begin for a few more weeks... But I always feel that once labor day comes and goes fall is officially here! Fall is one of my two favorite seasons (the other is of course summer) because of the food that is associated with autumn weather and holidays!

Yesterday, during an afternoon thunderstorm, I decided that I must make muffins to welcome fall and get us all in the mood for this new season!  I make a lot of muffins at our house!  John packs at least one muffin in his work lunchbox everyday.  Lacie also enjoys eating any flavor  of muffin!  Even sweet little B can have muffins now that she is nine months old and allowed to eat baked milk and egg!  That means muffins for everyone!!!

So I got out a delicious recipe for Whole Wheat Apple Muffins!  These are not Saturday morning, serve to company, buttery, and decadent muffins.  Nope these are low sugar, whole wheat, you don't need to feel guilty and run five miles muffins.  Despite their wholesomeness, they are still delicious!  These muffins would pair well with a fruit and protein to make a complete breakfast or are nice served as an easy snack!

Enjoy!  You will love how much your house smells like fall while these bake in the oven!

What You Need for the Whole Wheat Apple Muffins:

• 1 3/4 cups of whole wheat flour (I like King Arthur brand unbleached white whole wheat)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 generous tsp apple pie spice (if you cannot find this you can just use cinnamon) 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup sugar (I used light brown but you could use dark brown or white)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 large apple peeled, cored, and diced (you could also use 2 smaller apples)
• 1/4 cup of raisins (the original recipe called for pecans which I didn't want to put in because of Lacie's peanut allergy even though she can technically eat them it makes me too nervous - but feel free to add in any type of nut instead if there are no allergies in your family)
• course sugar, like Sugar in the Raw for sprinkling (optional)

Now Let's Make the Muffins:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners (you can always grease or spray with cooking spray instead of  using liners)
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt
3. Using a mixer (I use my PINK kitchen aid stand mixer) beat together milk, egg, sugar, and butter
4. Add dry mixture into wet mixture and beat on low speed until just combined
5. Fold in diced apples and raisins
6. Spoon batter evenly into the muffin tins (I like to use an ice cream scoop)
7. Sprinkle with raw sugar if desired (it just makes the muffins look pretty)
8. Bake for about 18 minutes until tops spring back when touched - don't over bake 
9. Cool for 10 minutes in pan then remove to cool completely on cooling racks

Enjoy with a nice warm cup of coffee!  I love these seasonal Pumpkin Spice K-Cups in the fall!  

What are you doing to get ready for fall?