Flax Everything Muffins

We always had baked goods at our house growing up. Maybe it was brownies, maybe banana bread or chocolate chip cookies, but you could be sure there was something in the cookie jar to snack on when we got home from school. I liked that (and so did my friends), and I want to do the same thing in my house now -- with a healthy spin, of course. Even though I don't usually have snickerdoodles or cinnamon rolls around the house, I don't want my kids to feel completely sweets-deprived.

This is a muffin recipe that I got from the back of the flax seed box, but adapted to make it my own. I struggle with what to call these, though. Zach would ask me what's in the muffins, and I would say, "Well, they're Cinnamon-Apple-Raisin-Pecan-Wheat-Flax Seed muffins." I guess I could call them CARP Wheat Flax Seed muffins, but that doesn't sound appetizing at all. So I'll just call them Flax Everything Muffins.

I usually make these with my son. He is five, and I've been cooking with him since he was about three. I love it, and so does he. I never noticed it before I had kids, but there is so much to be learned by cooking . Math for measuring, science for how the ingredients work together, nutrition in finding out which foods are healthy and which aren't. And not to mention the ability to follow the directions of a recipe. I have a sneaking suspicion that the main reason he loves it is because he gets to lick the spoon at the end, but I guess that's O.K. He's bound to pick up some learnin' somewhere during the process.

These muffins are really good, and have a ton of healthy stuff in them. Flax seed has 2600 mg of Omega 3 oils in two tablespoons, and is a great source of fiber. It can be sprinkled in smoothies, on yogurt, cereal -- I even mix it in tuna salad.

Here's the muffin recipe:

- 1/4 cup milled flax seed
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup white flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 cup finely chopped apple
- 3 TB vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
- 1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit (optional)

Blend dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine egg, vegetable oil and milk. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and stir till just blended. Fold in apples, nuts, and raisins. Batter will be thick. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until top springs back when touched.

Yesterday, I happened to have some leftover pecan-streusel from the sweet potato casserole I made for Thanksgiving. The leftovers found a happy home on top of these muffins. Yum!