Made these muffins this week and they are fairly healthy and yummy.  Try them and let me know what you think.

 

YUM YUM

 

 

Heart Healthy Apple Muffins

 

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup natural applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup low fat buttermilk
• 1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

 

·         Directions

·         Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-capacity standard muffin pan with cooking spray.

·         In a small bowl, mix together the pecans, 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar and the cinnamon.

·         In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt.

·         In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and the oil until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the applesauce and vanilla.

·         Whisk in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined. Gently stir in the apple chunks.

·         Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pecan mixture. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center of one of the muffins comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

·         Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack.

 

 

The Journey

On a recent road trip with my beautiful and wonderfully talented daughter Annie, we traveled over 1,700 miles together [in two days] in a moving truck. We traversed through 9 different states and one time zone.

 

It became my goal to get the welcome sign for each state we entered and although some are pretty blurry, I accomplished my goal.

 

I would love to have stopped along the way to see some of the sights in each state but for this particular trip, that was not possible.  Our destination was our target, and getting there as quickly as possible was our goal.

Needless to say, I had tons of time to think and reflect as I sat in that truck for two days.  It seems in life I often get my eyes so set on my goal that I fail to enjoy the journey.  I recently read somewhere that, " we must be intentional about enjoying the journey."  The journey comprises most of life and if we are so focused on a goal we will miss so much in everyday life.  I often find myself thinking, once I get this done, or reach this weight, or get through this event, then I will feel great.  When I fall into this trap of thinking, I miss out on the joy that each and every day has to offer.  Like the old saying, “Stop and smell the roses”.  I want to embrace all that each and every day has to offer.  I hope that you will purpose to do the same!!

 

 

It's all about perspective!

I have always wanted to visit New York City and this weekend it is going to happen.  My daughter, Annie Alice Schenzel, is moving from Austin, Texas to NYC.  I am flying down to Austin today to drive with Annie, her U-Haul truck, and all her belongings to New York.  I love to travel.  No matter the destination, I love to meet new people along the way and hear their stories. 

I am in Omaha at the airport as I type sitting beside a gentleman who is retired from Conagra. He has more than 3 million miles flown on United Airlines alone.  He has been to 5 continents and every state in the US except Alaska.  When he asked me where I was headed and I told him, he could not stop talking about how expensive it is to live in New York.  He said before he went to New York the first time, everyone told him how expensive it was to park his car.  When he arrived and went to park his car he said he was surprised when the sign for parking said $2.50.  That’s not too bad he thought…. until he read the fine print….. $2.50 for 15 minutes!!  And that was many years ago.  He went to the deli for a pastrami sandwich and it said $2.50, but when he looked closer it was $2.50 for ¼ of a pound!!  Then, he spoke about the cost of housing in New York and how a tiny apartment costs more than living in a large house in other cities.  So bottom line…… NYC is darn expensive.   His perspective was one you might expect from a retired 80 year old man from Omaha, NE.  The information he shared was no doubt factual, but perspective is everything.

You see, Annie is my beautiful 24 year old adventurer.  She is full of life, passion, courage and promise.  She will no doubt agree that NYC is really expensive, but from her life perspective, so worth it.  She is following her heart into the next adventure and chapter of her one and only life.   And as far as her mother’s perspective, you GO Annie Alice Schenzel!