100% Whole Grain Muffins

We eat a lot of frozen and canned fruit throughout the winter, and especially in these last few months before spring officially hits.  (I know it's April, and today the sun IS shining, but our "spring" is more of a late winter, usually.)  Easter Sunday I used the last jar of peaches, pureeing it to mix with Prosecco for Bellinis for Sunday Brunch.  Having a little over half a jar left, I wanted to incorporate it into something baked, if possible. 

Applesauce is a standard ingredient, especially as a stand-in for fats in baked goods.  I decided to use the peach puree instead of applesauce, and combine it with whole grain barley and oat flour for a nutrition-packed breakfast.  To be completely honest, I wasn't entirely sure the new recipe would turn out....  Perfectly delicious!  I would have taken a picture, but they didn't last long!

Whole Grain Peachy Muffins
Barley and oat flour can be found with the Bob's Red Mill ingredients in your local grocery store.  Whole wheat pastry flour may be substituted, if desired. 

1 cup barley flour
3/4 cup oat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 cup peach puree* (or unsweetened applesauce or other pureed fruit)
1/4 cup sugar**
1 egg
2 tbsp canola oil
1 cup fresh fruit (chopped strawberries or peaches, or frozen or fresh raspberries, or blueberries)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin well.

Stir together the flours, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, soda, and salt in a large bowl. 

Whisk together the peach puree, egg, and canola oil.  Pour all at once into the dry ingredients.  Stir until just barely moistened (don't over mix or your whole grain muffins will be tough).  Fold in the berries.

Divide between muffin cups.  Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in one muffin comes out clean.  Run a knife along the edge of the tins, and carefully remove from the pan to cool on a rack.  (If left in the pan, the muffins will continue to steam and will have tough edges).

Makes 12.

*To make peach puree, take 1 jar (pint or quart) of peaches in light syrup or juice, and puree in a blender until smooth.  The puree can be used in smoothies, as an ice cream topping, frozen as a sorbet in an ice cream maker, or mixed with sprkling wine for a delicious beverage.  If your peaches are canned in heavy syrup, omit the additional sugar in the muffin recipe.

**Omit the sugar if using peaches canned in heavy syrup.