Plant Based Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, The Smitten Kitchen,  which in turn credits the King Arthur Flour for the original source.  I changed some of the ingredients in keeping with the plant based approach of eating. No eggs, dairy or oil was used.  I substituted apple sauce for the butter, banana for the egg and non dairy yogurt, milk and vinegar for the buttermilk found in the original recipe. I was very pleased with the delicious taste, moistness and soft texture of the resulting muffins even with these substitutions.

Do not be stingy with the brown sugar for the topping.  It does, as pointed out by Smitten Kitchen, give the muffins a crunchy texture and almost caramel like flavor.  The muffins are best eaten after they have sat for a couple hours for the flavor to set in.

Plant Based Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

Makes 16 muffins.                                                                     

16 servings (1 muffin per serving)                

(Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen and King Arthur Flour)

• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup blueberry almond milk yogurt or plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup non dairy milk
• 1 tsp vinegar 
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 large apples, peeled, cored and cubed
• 1/4 cup more dark brown sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit

In a bowl mix the apple sauce, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, banana, yogurt, dairy milk and vinegar till thoroughly blended.   Add to this mixture the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix.   Add the apple and mix. 

Distribute the batter into the muffin pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray.  (I used an ice cream scoop).  Top the muffin with 1/4 cup more dark brown sugar.  Be generous.  

Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees and then lower the temperature to 400 degrees and bake for 5 minutes more or when the tooth pick comes out clean.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 88 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 136 Calories from Fat 4

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 0.4g 1%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 127mg 5%

Potassium 135mg 4%

Total Carbohydrates 32.0g 11%

Dietary Fiber 1.6g 6%

Sugars 17.7g

Protein 2.2g

Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 5% Calcium 5% • Iron 5%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Very low in saturated fat
• Very low in cholesterol
• Very high in vitamin B6