Applesauce-Date Muffins

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/applesauce_date_muffins.html

From EatingWell:  January/February 1998, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004)

These easy, tasty applesauce-date muffins are rich in fiber, low in saturated fat and perfectly portable, making them great for breakfast or snack time.

1 dozen muffins | Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 2/3 cup bran cereal, such as Bran Buds or All-Bran
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped dates
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see Tip)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 3/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. Whisk flour, bran cereal, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Stir in dates and walnuts. Whisk egg, applesauce, brown sugar and oil in another bowl until smooth. Make a well in the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. (Do not overmix.) Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
3. Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool.

Nutrition

Per serving : 161 Calories; 5 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 2 g Mono; 18 mg Cholesterol; 29 g Carbohydrates; 4 g Protein; 4 g Fiber; 220 mg Sodium; 204 mg Potassium

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

Tips & Notes

• Tip: To toast chopped nuts: Place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.