Soul-Walks and Muffins

Ah, the humble apple. However shall I use thy crispness, juiciness, and sweetness? In muffins, perhaps?......

But first! Story time.

Sooooooo you remember my spiel about that craptastic less than satisfactory week I had?  Reversed!

 

The weather was absolutely gorgeous today (edited in: my posts are normally 1 day delayed). Spring in winter is not normally my forte, but man - it felt fantastic outside.

 

 

 

 

 

 I wasn't planning on it, but I could not resist a short walk. About halfway through, my legs were aching for a run, but running in jeans and a pair of Toms didn't seem terribly appealing. But walking will forever be my activity of choice. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a little sappy, but that was one of the best walks I've had. Seriously. Outside for me is normally a place for me to cool off, meditate, contemplate, and talk to God - I'm deep like that.

 

In all seriousness, I felt so....healthy. Like - so full of energy and life and motivation that I craved during the early stages of recovery. For those 30 minutes, I felt 100% completely and totally healthy.

 

I thought about how blessed I am in more ways I can count, and the way God has opened doors for me and answered prayers. I have such a zeal and optimism that I don't think I've ever felt before - it's different from motivation to recover and stuff like that; it's deeper.

 

I can feel my purpose unfolding, and it makes me so excited and anticipatory for the future. God works in mysterious ways, and I'm enjoying the period of life that I'm in. Through all the struggles and hardships of life - I'm enjoying it, and thankful for it.



During my little sabbatical, I was super excited to make a new recipe I found. It combines two of my most favoritest foods: oatmeal and apples.

Moist, full of whole grain and appley goodness, these muffins are SO DELICIOUS. They have whole ingredients, and are super easy to make. I'm pretty sure that one of my other recipes is also for muffins....but rsdfoksadfjwoefjaopsjf[psdf I love muffins. Who doesn't?

 

 Apple Oatmeal Muffins
adapted from Cookie and Kate

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour (I used an Ezekial mix we had in the freezer)
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp ginger
1 cup natural applesauce
1/2 cup raw sugar (I used Sucanat)
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 small Gala apples, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375* and line muffin tin with muffin cups (or grease with spray)

2. Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl

 

3. Combine the rest of the ingredients except the apples in a medium bowl.

 

4. Make a well in the dry ingredients, and mix in the wet until just combined.

 

5. Fold in the apples

 

Lookit all those apples.....

 

6. Fill in the muffin cups about 3/4 of the way.

 

 

7. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.

8. Enjoy!

These are soooooooooo gooooood. So so so good. Served warm with peanut butter, or crumbled on top of greek yogurt....the apple chunks make it that much better.