These muffins were amazing. They looked rustic. They were easy to prepare, healthy, and contain lots of dietary fiber.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs ground flaxseed or 3 tsp ener-G egg replacer or two eggs
6 Tbs water (4 Tbs if you are using Ener-G egg replacer)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped raw apples
1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C. Lightly grease your muffin tins or use muffins cups.

2. In a medium size bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

3. In a food processor or blender, whip the flaxseed and water together, until it reaches a thick and creamy consistency.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the applesauce, oil, sugar, vanilla, and flax mixture. Beat with an electric hand-mixer or wire whisk until it is creamy smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir until it is well blended. Do not overmix.  Fold in the apples and the pecans.

5. The batter will be thick rather than smooth and wet, but it's fine. If you think it is too stiff, you can add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water.

6. Fill the muffins tins about 3/4 full. 

7. Bake for 18-20 minutes. You know when they are done when a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

8. Cool for about 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack.

Variations and Slight Modifications:
 
I have substituted 1/2 cup mashed banana for the apple sauce.
I have added about 1/3 cup shredded carrot to the recipe.

You really cannot do better than to combine cinnamon and apples during winter! A friend from church made this last weekend. We all said, "Yum!"

Ingredients

2/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons and some cinnamon
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
a capful or two of vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk, room temperature
2 apples, peeled and finely chopped
4 eggs
 
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans with either baking spray or line with parchment.

2. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside.

3.Beat butter and sugar together in a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated.

4.Add vanilla extract. Once incorporated remove bowl from mixer.

5. Sift flour and baking powder together in a bowl then stir into creamed butter mixture by hand. Mix milk into batter until smooth.

6. You should have about 6 cups of batter. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the batter (or 1/4 of your total batter) into one of the prepared cake pans; add 1/4 of the apples and 1/4 of the brown sugar mixture. Lightly pat apple mixture into batter. Gently pour another 1 1/2 cups of batter over apple layer; top with another 1/4 of the apples and brown sugar mixture. Lightly pat apples into batter. Repeat this with remaining batter and brown sugar/apple mixture in other cake pan.

7. There usually is brown sugar/cinnamon mixture leftover, so you can use this for buttercream frosting.

8. Bake for about 40 minutes or until top is set and not too wet looking.

9. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes. Enjoy the cake!