Yogurt Honey Health Mini Muffins

This recipe comes to us courtesy of the Renegade Lunch Lady Chef Ann Cooper and her book Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed our Children. The addition of yogurt not only makes these muffins moist, but helps them stay fresh in an airtight container for up to three days and still taste wonderful. If cake flour is not readily available, all-purpose flour can be substituted. The muffins will be slightly denser, but will taste just as good. (recipe found on Whole Foods website)

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 24 mini muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups cake flour (may sub pastry flour)
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 3⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 1⁄2 teaspoons sugar
• 2  tablespoons rolled oats
• 1  tablespoon  diced dried cranberries
• 1  tablespoon  diced  dried apricot
• 1  tablespoon unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1  teaspoon  grated orange zest
• 1  tablespoon  toasted  natural bran
• 1⁄2 cup nonfat yogurt
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2  eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a mini muffin pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add the oats, cranberries, apricots, sunflower seeds, orange zest and bran and mix to combine.
3. In another bowl combine the yogurt, honey, vanilla, butter and eggs and stir until the ingredients are well blended.
4. Pour the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to mix, just until all ingredients are incorporated. Take care not to overmix.
5. Fill muffin cups two-thirds of the way with batter.
6. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.