It’s Apple Season – Apple Pecan Pie Muffins(Gluten-free)

Apple season is upon us.   We can either go to the orchards and pick our own apples or visit a store selling fresh apples. Every year, I make plans to go to an orchard, but eventually end up buying them from a grocery store.

It is amazing how many varieties (new and existing) are available today. I remember growing up with just Red Delicious apples each fall or just for Christmas.  You see, we were the poor cousins in our little town and mostly only got apples as treats at Christmas time.

I do not really know one from the other other than they are sweet, tart, soggy or crisp apples.  I prefer sweet, crisp ones for eating and tart ones for baking.  Nothing beats Granny Smith for Apple Pies!

There was this big to do about apple juice having arsenic.  Hopefully, there isn’t enough to sicken a person in the seeds of the fresh apples, because I throw a small apple in when I make vegetable juice.  My main concern is they are not contaminated with salmonella, as there are so many food recalls for almost everything these days.

I wanted to make something today, just wasn’t sure what because I had just bought a 3-lb. bag from TJ’s. I have a recipe for Apple Coffee Cake, but wanted something different.  This recipe started out as a coffee cake, but turned into sort of a bread.  I decided at the last minute to bake it in muffin cups and put the left-over in a small pan, instead of using 8 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan.

One of these days, I will think of something besides muffins!  These make a nice breakfast or brunch muffin.

Apple Pecan Pie Muffins

1 cup gluten-free self-rising mix of your choice

1/4 tsp baking soda(only if mix does not contain it)

1/4 tsp baking powder* (non aluminum)

1/2 tsp vanilla powder (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp apple pie spice

1/3 cup fat free half and half (or milk)

1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 egg)

Wet Mix

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar blend (or 1/2 cup brown sugar)

1 medium sized sweet apple (2/3 cup diced)

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Topping (optional)

1 tbsp Turbinado Sugar

        

    *( I like a little extra rise)

Procedures
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8 cups of a 12 cup muffin pan with cup cake liners.


Prepare Wet Mix

Peel, core and dice apple. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add apples, pecans and brown sugar sweetener. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.




Prepare remainder of ingredients

Whisk all other ingredients together in a mixing bowl, except egg and half and half.

Stir in Wet Mix and egg. Stir in milk or half and half as needed. 


Divide batter into prepared cup cake tin

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Baking

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven, remove from pan and allow to cool.


Serve warm or at room temperature.  Enjoy



Servings: 8 Yield: approximately 8 muffins


Nutrition Facts as prepared
Nutrition (per muffin): 152 calories, 2.9g monounsaturated fat, 1.1g polyunsaturated fat, <1g linoleic acid, 4g saturated fat, 8.7g total fat, 16mg cholesterol, 16.2g carbohydrates, 1.5g fiber, 14.7g net carbohydrates, 2.8g sugar, <1mg stigmasterol, <1g starch, <1g fructose, <1g galactose, <1g glucose, <1g sucrose, <1g sugar alcohols, 0g maltose, 115.7mg sodium, 90.9mg potassium, 2.7g protein, 54.8mg calcium, <1mg iron, 218.9IU vitamin a, <1mcg vitamin b12, <1mg vitamin b6, <1mcg vitamin k, <1mg zinc, <1mg thiamin, 2.5mcg selenium.

Tips

Increase cinnamon to 1 full tsp or Apple Pie spice to 1/2 tsp, if you like a more intense flavor

National Chocolate Mint Day

Today is National Chocolate Mint Day.

So, that gives us an excuse for making anything chocolate with mint flavoring.

I chose to make a quick microwave brownie. We save energy by using the microwave and a small amount is made so that we don’t have a whole pan to eat.

I started experimenting with microwave baking a few months ago when ‘World's Most Dangerous Cake ’ was posted on Mixing Bowl. I converted it to gluten free as World's Most Dangerous Cake - AKA Cake for One (modified gluten free).

Actually it is easier to make a quick dessert in the microwave than using the oven. Less energy (electricity or fuel) is consumed in the two to three minutes compared to around 45 minutes to pre-heat and bake a brownie in the oven. So who’s not for saving calories and energy?

Chocolate Mint Brownies - Gluten Free, Low-sugar, Lower- Fat (Microwave)
Ingredients
Brownie
3 T Quinoa (or GF all-purpose) flour
3 T Stevia in The Raw (granulated)
1 pinch salt
1 pinch baking soda
1 pinch cream of tartar
1/8 tsp vanilla powder, optional
2 T Ghirardelli unsweetened natural cocoa
2 T liquid egg substitute
1 dash mint oil or mint extract
2 T butter, melted
3 T skim milk or unsweetened almond milk
2 T walnuts, chopped
Frosting
2 Andes Creme de Menthe Thins
Procedures
1. Lightly spray a 1-qt glass dish with oil spray. Place the butter in the dish and microwave for about 30 seconds to melt, do not over-heat.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the first 7 ingredients. Add the egg, mint flavoring and cooled melted butter. Do not scrape the baking dish, as any butter left behind will be absorbed into the brownie.

3. Whisk to mix, adding in the milk and nuts. Save a few of the nuts to sprinkle over the brownie after it comes out of the oven, if desired. Spread batter into prepared dish.

4. Cook on high for 2 minutes 15 seconds using an 1100 watts microwave. Remove from oven. Using two small plates flip the brownie onto one and then turn top-side up onto the other one.



5. Glaze - Break the mints into smaller pieces. Place on top of hot brownie. Spread, when they start to melt.

If using the saved nuts, sprinkle them over the frosting.

Cut 1/4 of brownie per serving.

Enjoy

Servings: 4

Cooking Time: 2 minutes, 15 seconds - 1100 watt microwave oven at full power


Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 126 calories, 9.9g total fat, 1.9g monounsaturated fat, 2.1g polyunsaturated fat, 4.6g saturated fat, 15.6mg cholesterol, 167.2mg sodium, 78.1mg potassium, 8g carbohydrates, 2.1g fiber, 6g net carbohydrates, <1g starch, 2g sugar, 3.4g protein, <1mg iron.

Feel free to substitute wheat flour for the Quinoa flour for a wheat version.