Fall Flavors: Apple Walnut Muffins

The smell of baking apples screams fall to me.  In just one bite, you get a burst of cinnamon and plump, juicy, hot apples!  Get all the fall vibes when baking these Apple Walnut Muffins.  

Apple Walnut Muffins

I haven't brought you a new muffin in a really long time and I thought that with all the fall baking going on it was time to bring an easy yet tasty muffin in to the mix.  This one has great big chunks of apples in it and it's spiced with cinnamon to bring out the fall flavors.  It's melt in your mouth good and a muffin the whole family will be craving.

Muffins do double duty in our house.  We eat them for a quick breakfast during the week, but we are also known to eat one for a snack with a hot cup of tea or coffee.  This is a small batch of 6 muffins but double the recipe if you want more.  This muffin is sure to give you all the fall feels!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• eggs
• low-fat milk
• canola oil
• all purpose flour
• sugar or alternative sugar 1:1 ratio (for Keto, low carb)
• baking soda
• salt
• honeycrisp apple (medium size)
• cinnamon
• walnuts

Substitutions and Variations

• Doing a Keto diet or want lower carb? Use an alternative sugar of you choice as a substitute.  I like King Arthur's sugar alternative.

• Use white whole wheat flour in place of the all purpose flour

• Make mini muffins or small loaves instead

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• 1st rule of thumb when making muffins is not to "overmix" the batter.  You want it batter to just come together.  Little spots of flour is okay.

• To get high muffin tops turn your oven up to 400 degrees.

• Make sure you are using fresh baking powder.  To test put 1/2 teaspoon into 1/4 cup of boiling water.  If it bubbles, you are good.

• Double the recipe for 12 muffins.

• Muffins can be frozen individually and kept for 3 months.

• Fill the muffin tin almost to the top for nice big muffins.

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More muffins to make:

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins - Lower Carb Version

Pumpkin and Eggnog Swirl Muffins

Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins

Vanilla Chai Muffins

Cranberry Orange Muffins - Small Batch

Mexican Hot Chocolate Muffins

Simple Blueberry Muffins

Apple Walnut Muffins 

Makes 6-8

1 egg
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup King Arthur Baking sugar alternative
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small honeycrisp apple, cored and chopped in medium chunks
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin or donut hole pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl add the egg, milk, and oil. Mix together using a whisk.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir just until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in chopped apples and chopped walnuts, holding a few back to add to the tops.

Using a cookie scoop, add batter to a muffin tin to make 6-8 muffins. Add a few chopped walnuts to the top of each muffin.  Bake 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes in the tin. Remove from the pan and serve.

Winter Warmers: Lasagna Soup

Craving a good lasagna but don't have the time to spend making it?  Try my Lasagna Soup.  It has all the flavors of your favorite lasagna but made in half the time!   

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• Lasagna Soup

It's not winter yet, but it's been so cold around here that I'm bringing on the winter dishes that keep you warm.  Soup is a go to in our house.  This one is quick and easy to make and tastes like lasagna in a bowl.

There is something comforting about pasta, beef, tomatoes, spices, and cheese that when combined in a soup it screams comfort food.  This one pot meal is a winner so be sure to try this recipe soon.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• ground sirloin
• yellow onion
• garlic
• diced tomatoes (canned)
• tomato paste
• tomato sauce
• beef broth (low sodium if available)
• Italian seasoning
• lasagna noodles
• Ricotta cheese
• Parmesan cheese

Substitutions and Variations

• Use Italian sausage for the beef

• Use chicken broth in place of the beef broth

• Use malfada pasta instead of breaking the lasagna noodles

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• serve with a salad and some garlic bread
• leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for several days
• Use a large dutch oven for a one pot meal.  Here's the one I use.

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Lasagna Soup

1 pound 10% lean ground sirloin
1 cup diced yellow onion

salt & pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
32 ounces low sodium beef broth 
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
6 uncooked lasagna noodles, broken in to pieces, or malfada pasta

Topping:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt


In a large Dutch oven or saucepan, brown beef and onion over medium-high heat, adding salt and pepper for seasoning. Add the garlic and cook for about 30-60 seconds. 

Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, and Italian seasonings. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add in broken lasagna pieces. Reduce heat slightly and cook for about 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the Cheese Topping: In a small bowl, mixture together the ricotta, Parmesan, and salt.
To serve, spoon soup in a bowl and top with a dollop of the cheese mixture.  

Cold Weather Warmers: Easy Homemade Minestrone Soup

This Easy Homemade Minestrone Soup is chock full of hearty vegetables and beans that are simmered in a chicken tomato broth and spiced just right with wonderful Italian herbs.  The perfect to warm yourself on a cold night! 

EASY HOMEMADE MINESTRONE SOUP

I thought it was time to update my Homemade Minestrone Soup recipe from 2019 with new pictures since this soup is a staple during the cold months.

It's getting really cold outside and to me that mean "soup season" is here. This Minestrone soup is an Italian classic that is easy to put together and the taste can't be beat. You will need about 1 hour to make this soup so plan accordingly. Perfect to make on a Sunday with some crusty bread and a hearty salad.

Enjoy!

Want some other great soups?   Try Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup and Italian Chicken and Bean Soup and Cheesy Potato Soup.  They are all delicious and guaranteed to drive away the cold!  

What Ingredients do I need?

• olive oil
• onion
• carrots
• celery
• zucchini
• yellow squash
• garlic
• low-sodium chicken broth - pick a good broth that you like
• dried oregano
• dried thyme
• red pepper flakes
• bay leaves
• diced tomatoes, 28 oz can 
• canned Cannellini beans
• canned red Kidney beans
• fresh baby spinach
• Ditalini pasta

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• The secret to a good soup is a good broth, and allowing the flavors to meld together to develop a rich taste.  Don't skimp on the broth!

• Make sure to allow the soup to simmer 20-30 minutes to develop a rich flavor.

• If you want to keep the soup you might want to cook the pasta separately and adding it at the time of serving.  Pasta tends to absorb the liquid of the soup if you store it in the refrigerator for a few days.

• If you are going to freeze the soup I would leave the pasta out and add it when serving.  The pasta will become bloated and loose it's integrity when frozen in soup.

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Easy Homemade Minestrone Soup

serves 6


2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 small carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small yellow squash, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
6-7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
1 (15 oz) can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can Kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
1 cup Ditalini pasta
salt and pepper


Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth to deglaze the pan, using a spoon to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.


Add the remaining chicken broth, oregano, thyme, black pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, tomatoes, and drained beans. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for at least 20-30 minutes.

Add the spinach and the pasta. Cook for 10 minutes more until the pasta is al dente. Remove the bay leaves and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.