Sweet Breakfast Treats

Last night I was trying to come up with a new idea for breakfast, a little tired of the usual recipes.  My son suggested blueberry muffins, but we had those recently, and I wanted something different!  I am lucky to keep a very well stocked kitchen, so that I can make just about anything whenever the mood may strike.  I had a can of crushed pineapple that needed to be turned into cake filling, and pineapple upside down cake slid into my mind (I didn't need the whole can...just about 10 ounces, so I'd have leftovers).

I cannot remember the last time I had pineapple upside down cake, but I'm sure it was probably when I was a teen, and more than likely it was made with an easy-to-grab boxed mix, maraschino cherries, and lots of brown sugar.  Yum, but not really my speed anymore!

I took a healthy cinnamon muffin recipe and tweaked it.  I wanted some jumbo muffins so the locally grown, bright red cherries could shine.  The following recipe gave me 6 jumbo muffins, plus batter leftover, which I spooned into 6 regular sized muffin cups, the perfect size for my 3 year old.  If you don't have a jumbo pan, cut the recipe in half and you'll get about 9 regular sized muffins.

Healthy Pineapple Upside Down Muffins

For 100% whole wheat muffins, use 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour in place of the all purpose.

1 can crushed pineapple, lightly drained (so it's not too juicy)

5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

12 pitted cherries (or maraschino cherries), optional
18 tsp brown sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/2-3/4 cup packed brown sugar (depending on your personal preference for sweetness)
1 egg
1 egg white
1 1/2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease 6 jumbo and 6 regular muffin cups.

Add 1/2 tbsp melted butter to each jumbo muffin cup, then divide the remaining between the regular cups.  Add one cherry to each.  Add 2 tsp brown sugar to each jumbo cup, and 1 tsp to each regular sized cup.  Spoon 1 tbsp crushed pineapple into each (a little less for the regular sized ones).

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, egg, egg white, canola oil, and vanilla.  Pour into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.  Divide between muffin cups.

Bake 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  The regular sized muffins will bake in less time than the jumbo.  Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a rimmed baking sheet and shake gently to release the muffins from their pans.  Spoon any remaining pineapple back onto the top and serve warm with vanilla yogurt.