Whole Wheat Mocha Muffins

I experimented and came up with a healthy recipe for  mocha muffins using whole wheat flour and oat bran cereal.  The muffins have a mild mocha flavor.  I used instant coffee blended with a tablespoon of hot boiled water added to the batter.  I used Xylitol (Ideal Brown no calorie brown sugar substitute) as a sweetener.  This was the first time I ever tried this sweetener in a recipe. I am pleased with the results.  I have avoided preparing recipes calling for brown sugar because I am not familiar with what is a safe and viable substitute.  On the website the nutrition information on this product indicates there are 101 calories per 1/2 cup as was the amount used in this recipe.  Regular brown sugar has 415 calories per 1/2 cup.  It measures cup for cup like sugar.  As prepared there are approximately 133 calories/muffin.  If brown sugar is used instead, the calories per muffin increases to 151.

Whole Wheat Mocha Muffins

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup natural applesauce
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons honey
3/4 cup fat free sour cream
1/2 cup Ideal Brown (or brown sugar if preferred)
1/2 cup lowfat milk
1 Tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in 1 Tablespoon hot boiling water
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat bran hot cereal (I used Bob's Red Mill Organic)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In a small bowl add vegetable oil, natural applesauce, egg, vanilla, sour cream, lowfat milk.  Dissolve instant coffee in 1 Tablespoon hot boiling water and add to this mixture.  Stir to combine.

In a large bowl mix together whole wheat flour, oat bran, chopped pecans, baking powder, and salt.

Add oil and egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.

Add paper liners to a muffin tin and fill muffin cups until they are about 2/3 full.

Place in a 400 degree preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes until cooked through.  This recipe yields about 18 muffins at approximately 133 calories per muffin.  If brown sugar is used instead of the Ideal Brown (Xylitol) this increases to 151 calories/muffin.  Enjoy!