Gluten-Free Apple Oat-Bran Muffins

Gluten-Free Streusel, Apple Oat Bran Muffins
Yield: 24 Heart Healthy Muffins

These are soft, tender, fluffy muffins. The texture will call you
to make them again and again.
They are heavy on cinnamon and it goes so well with the
flavors of oat bran, flax seed, and apples.

When I know I have healthy delicious muffins waiting,
I jump out of bed eager to take on the day ahead.

Ingredients For the muffins:

1-1/2 cups oat flour or oat bran 
1/2 cup Tapioca starch/flour
1 3/4 cups oat bran (ground even finer in a processor)
1 tsp xanthan gum or a flax egg
1/4 cup ground flaxseed (preferably golden flax seed)
3/4 cup coconut sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon or apple pie spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 apples peeled and diced
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup any milk
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large egg whites
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Optional:
For a streusel topping:
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
4 tablespoons chopped pecans
2 tablespoons coconut oil
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Cinnamon-sugar topping: 
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Add butter or vegan butter or avocado oil to a shallow
bowl. In another shallow bowl,
combine sugar and cinnamon.
Dip muffin tops in butter, then in cinnamon-sugar.
Serve warm.

Instructions

Make the optional streusel topping first by mixing
together the coconut sugar, ground flax seed
and chopped pecans. Cut in the cold coconut
oil until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, oat bran,
brown sugar, ground flax seed, cinnamon,
baking soda, baking powder, and salt well with a whisk.

Stir in diced apples and golden raisins.

In another bowl whisk together milk, applesauce, vanilla extract,
egg whites and coconut oil. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture
and stir together until combined.

Spoon three tablespoons of batter into paper-lined or cooking
spray coated muffin cups. Sprinkle streusel topping over the
batter if desired. Put filled Muffin pan in center of preheated
oven. Lower to 375 degrees. Bake for approximately 18 minutes.

To prevent shrinking of gluten free muffins, always leave muffins in
an unopened oven for another 20 minutes. Then allow to sit in
opened oven another 10 minutes.

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