"As-You-Like" Muffins

From The Everyday Vegan.

Low-fat, whole-grain muffins that are fluffy, tender, and can be adapted for your favorite variations (see suggestions below)!

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup oat flour or ground oats (see notes)

1 1⁄2 tsp baking powder

1⁄2 tsp baking soda

1⁄4 - 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon (see notes)

1⁄2 - 3⁄4 cup fruit or nuts (see notes)

1⁄4 cup unrefined sugar

couple pinches sea salt

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1⁄2 cup vanilla or plain non-dairy milk

1⁄4 cup pure maple syrup

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp organic neutral-flavored oil (ex: almond, avocado, canola)

Preheat oven to 375ºF. In a large bowl, combine flour and ground oats. Sift in baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon, then stir in remaining dry ingredients (including fruit or nuts), and combine well. In another bowl, mix applesauce, soy milk, maple syrup, vanilla and oil. Add wet mixture to the dry mixture. Mix until just combined (do not overmix). Spoon into a lined or lightly oiled muffin pan and bake for 19-24 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Makes about 10 medium to large muffins, or 12 smaller (bake less time for smaller muffins).

Notes:

1) If you don't have oat flour, use a blender or food processor to grind the quick or rolled oats to a flour-like texture.

2) Here are some tasty variations on the basic batter:

Cran-Date Muffins: 1⁄2 cup dried cranberries and 1⁄4 cup chopped dates

Cherry-Almond Muffins: 1/2 cup dried pitted cherries, 1/3 cup chopped almonds, and 1/2 tsp almond extract; omit cinnamon and add 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Chocolate Chip Muffins: 1⁄2- 3⁄4 cup dairy-free chocolate or carob chips

Raisin Nut Muffins: 1⁄2 cup raisins and 1⁄4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts; add 1/4 tsp allspice

Tropical Muffins: 1⁄4 cup each chopped dried pineapple, apricots, and shredded

coconut, and 1⁄2 - 1 tsp coconut extract to replace some vanilla; omit cinnamon and add 1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg