New Year's Resolution: Yogurt Muffins.

Happy New Year!

For all of you who are thinking "time to start the new year off on a healthy note - no sweets!" .... it's time to rethink that resolution!

A perfect recipe to try for a no guilt breakfast or snack is Batter's delicious & healthy Spiced Yogurt Muffin recipe, which was featured in the November issue of Food & Wine. This recipe was developed to serve at Fraiche Yogurt in Palo Alto, one of Batter's clients. These muffins use yogurt & applesauce to keep the fat content low & several spices to boost flavor. The result is a light, moist muffin perfect with coffee or tea for those chilly January mornings.

Spiced Yogurt Muffins
8 large or 16 standard muffins

2 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar
1 T. baking powder
½ t. salt
½ t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. allspice
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. cloves
2 eggs
1 ¼ c. yogurt, room temperature
4 T. melted butter
¼ c. unsweetened applesauce
1 t. vanilla

2 T. sugar + ¼ t. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 8 large or 14 to 16 standard muffin pans with paper muffin cups.

Whisk together flour through cloves in a large bowl until well combined. In another small bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, butter, applesauce, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and mix together until just combined. Scoop evenly into muffin cups and sprinkle with sugar nutmeg mixture. Bake 18-20 min until tester comes out clean. Serve warm.

::: Note - the spices in the original recipe are double what is published in the magazine. I prefer the original spicier version!

Batter offers a few suggestions for additional healthier treats - instead of your usual cookie or brownie, try a breakfast bar, packed with oats, oat bran, dried fruit & nuts; a slice of produce-filled apple oatmeal bread, harvest bread, or cinnamon pear bread, or a lowfat cherry bran muffin.

May 2009 be a fabulous year all around!