Carrot, Apple, and Pecan Multigrain Muffins

I found the original recipe for these fiber-rich muffins on the back of a Hodgson Mill's Multigrain Hot Cereal box. These muffins are moist, not too dense, and rich in texture with the perfect amount of sweetness. They make a great whole grain addition to breakfast, or as a nutritious snack. 

1 cup Hodgson Mill's Multigrain Hot Cereal

1 cup all-purpose, unbleached flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup carrots, shredded

1 cup apples, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk

2 "flax eggs" **

1/4 cup safflower oil

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

**Flax eggs: 2 tbsp flax seeds, ground, and mixed with 6 tbsp water. Set aside and allow to thicken before adding to other ingredients. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix dry ingredients.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined.

Fill muffin pans to the top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

Nutrition Information per muffin:

205 kcal

10 g fat

3 g fiber

11 g sugar

4 g protein

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Filling

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Filling
Adpated from Cooking Light

Cookies:
1 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups all=purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup lowfat buttermilk

Filling:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

For the cookies, cream sugar and butter until well blended. Add vanilla and egg, beat until combined. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to the wet ingredients. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a baking sheet. Make sure to have an even number of cookies and to leave a few inches between the cookies because they spread! Bake for 10 minutes, cool on pan for 5 minutes. Cool completely before filling.

For the filling, cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until well blended. Continue blending until the filling is fluffy. Gently stir in mini chocolate chips.

To make the sandwiches, spread about 2 tablespoons of cream cheese filling onto the bottom side of a cooled cookie, top with a second cookie. Repeat procedure with the remaining cookies and filling.

Depending on the size of your cookies, this recipe will make 10 to 16 sandwich cookies. My cookies were pretty big so I only had 10. Be prepared for these to disappear fast!