Whole Grain Apricot Walnut Muffins

by Anne Papina on March 10, 2013

Whole Grain Apricot Walnut Muffins

Life has a funny way of getting in the way sometimes, which is what led to my brief hiatus. Life. But it’s all good. Family always comes first, you know. And there’s nothing like a health crisis to put those things in perspective! These Whole Grain Apricot Walnut Muffins are a great way to kick off a new chapter here.

You see, I’ve been on a whole grain kick lately, and it all started with these muffins. I adapted this recipe from The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook, which I reviewed in my last post. Originally the recipe called for cherries and pecans (yum!), but that wasn’t what I had on hand. Apricots and walnuts were a perfect substitute, though. And, these nutrient-dense muffins are so tasty, I plan to make them a staple around here. Sure, they’re not low in fat, but this is the good fat–almond butter is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, as well as protein and fiber. These are a great go-to muffin for breakfast on the run–both nutritious and filling yet not too sweet.

Whole Grain Apricot Walnut Muffins

Start by whisking together the flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. Then in a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients.

Whole Grain Apricot Walnut Muffins

Fold the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, then stir in the quinoa, apricots, and walnuts.

Whole Grain Apricot Walnut Muffins

Spoon the batter into the muffin tin so that each cup is 2/3 full.

Whole Grain Apricot Walnut Muffins

Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let these cool for about 10 minutes before popping out of the pan.

Whole Grain Apricot Walnut Muffins

Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Whole Grain Apricot Walnut Muffins
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
These nutrient-dense whole grain apricot walnut muffins are filling and provide the perfect energy boost for a breakfast on the run.
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Serves: 16
Ingredients
  • 1 cup spelt flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ⅛ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ cup agave nectar
  • 1 cup almond butter (creamy)
  • ⅔ cup coconut milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • ⅔ cup cooked quinoa (cooled)
  • ¾ cup chopped dried apricots
  • ¾ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix the applesauce, agave nectar, almond butter, coconut milk, vanilla, and sea salt.
  4. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until well combined.
  5. Stir in the quinoa, apricots, and walnuts.
  6. Grease the muffin tins with a non-stick cooking spray, and spoon the batter into each the tins until ⅔ full.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Notes
If using a mini-muffin tin, bake at 350F for about 12 minutes. This recipe made 12 regular sized muffins and 12 mini muffins.

 

 

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Kristi Rimkus March 17, 2013 at 6:13 am

This is what I call a truly healthy muffin. I’ve yet to try spelt flour, but I’m a big fan of Bob’s Red Mill so I’ll have to pick some up. I hope everything is going well for you now.

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Anne Papina March 17, 2013 at 7:28 am

Thanks so much. I’ve been feeling inspired to eat healthier foods lately–I love that these are so moist and not too sweet. They seem to freeze well too, so I now have a bag in the freezer for a quick meal whenever.

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