Multigrain Mini-Muffins with Orange Honey Neufchatel

Merry Christmas, folks!

Yes Virginia, the holidays can be relatively healthy for snackers. These muffins are one little drop in the bucket of healthy party fare. They are not as sweet as a regular muffin and have a higher fiber content than the usual. I've added grated apple and a handful of dried cranberries too. My nod to sweetness is a Neufchatel cheese whip with a couple tablespoons of orange juice, orange zest, and a couple tablespoons of orange blossom honey. Piped onto the top, these muffins look so sweet and will be gracing our Christmas morning brunch table. This batch, however, will be served to friends at a church function.

Multigrain Muffins with Whipped Orange Honey Neufchatel

Easy and fast ... that's the way I'm flying this Christmastime.

Multigrain Mini-Muffins with Fruit

Ingredients:

1 large egg

¼ c. vegetable oil

1 c. buttermilk
½ c. old-fashioned oats
⅓ c. dark brown sugar, packed
1 c. all-purpose flour
¾ c. whole wheat flour
¼ c. wheat germ
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 c. grated apple (cored, but skin left on)
½ c. dried cranberries, chopped coarsely

Preheat the oven to 400°F and spray a 24-count mini-muffin pan with baking spray.

Making the Muffins:

1. Whisk together the egg, oil, buttermilk, and sugar to make a smooth blend.

2. Add the oats and let the mixture sit for about ten minutes to soften the oats a bit.

3. Whisk the flours, wheat germ, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and have it ready to add.

4. Core and grate the apple and toss it together in a small bowl with the dried cranberries.

5. When the oven is pre-heated, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until the flours are incorporated.

6. Fold in the fruit mixture and spoon into the mini-muffin pan.

7. Bake for 12-15 minutes - just until the tops are golden brown and a caketester comes clean.

8. Remove from the pan immediately and cool on a platter.

9. Re-warm and just before serving, pipe a dollop of Honey and Orange Flavoured Neufchatel Cheese onto the tops of the muffins.

Honey and Orange Flavoured Neufchatel Cheese

Ingredients:

8 oz. Neufchatel Cheese, softened

2 tbsp. orange juice

2 -3 tbsp. orange blossom honey
orange zest from half and orange

1. Whip the ingredients together until a smooth spread is formed. Add a bit more orange juice if the spread is not loose enough to pipe easily.

2. Turn the spread into a piping bag with a mid-sized round or fluted tip and pipe a dollop/plop onto the top of the slightly warm muffins.

3. Serve immediately.