Pineapple-coconut muffins

Trying to bake without butter is not easy.  I know what you’re thinking–it’s because baking without butter is a crime against nature. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a good, buttery, fatty dessert. And in the rare event that I *do* make desserts, I spare no additional calories for something completely sinful and delicious. But, when I make something like muffins, I really prefer they are not calorie bombs, since I tend to eat one or two a day until they are gone. Most of the time, my breakfasts consist of some sort of egg (usually 3 egg whites, “fried” in cooking spray) and some sort of carb (usually ezekiel toast, sometimes a healthy muffin when I have them). So, often times on Sundays I will bake muffins for the work week.

I created what I guess could be called a basic muffin recipe, that I adapt based on what flavors I feel like that day or, more likely, what I have sitting in my fridge/cupboards. Today, I had some pineapple, flaked coconut and even some buttermilk so I decided to go with that. The recipe below veers a little more from my original than usual.

I only made 6 muffins, but the recipe below makes 12. I might add a little more coconut next time but overall, I thought these were really moist and delicious for such a healthy muffin.

Pineapple Coconut Muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt.
2 eggs
2/3 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
1 small (8 oz.) can crushed pineapples, drained
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, divided

Preheat oven to 400. Grease or paper-line a 12-cup muffin tin.

In one bow, sift together whole wheat and all purpose flours, baking powder and soda, and salt. (Many times I am too lazy to sift but I find it’s a good idea when it comes to whole wheat flour because you have a lot more hard little pieces/balls than with AP).

In a second bowl, beat eggs with sugar until well combined. Add buttermilk, almond extract, applesauce, pineapples and oil and stir to combine.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until mixed. Fold in 1/4 cup of the flaked coconut.

Pour batter into prefared muffin tin. Top each muffin with 1 tsp. flaked coconut.

Bake approximately 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Nutritional Information (per muffin):  Calories: 154 / Fat: 4.5g / Carbs: 26.2g / Dietary Fiber: 1.7g / Sugar: 4.1g / Protein: 3.6g