Recipe: Whole Grain Cranberry Thyme Muffins

Fresh thyme, dried cranberries, chia seeds, pecans and Nutri-Grain cereal come together in a delicious balance of flavors and texture in these curious little muffins. The standout ingredient is fresh thyme, creating an earthy complement to the standard sweetness of a muffin. Filled with whole grains and fiber, these muffins are sure to keep you full when paired with Greek yogurt or eggs at breakfast, or served warm along side a hearty bowl of soup at lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

Makes 12 muffins
1 cup white-whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup Nutri-Grain (or similar) cereal
½ cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 TBSP fresh thyme (removed directly from the stem, unchopped)
1 TBSP chia seeds
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp sea salt
1 apple, grated
2/3 cup 2% milk
2/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup brown, maple, or coconut sugar
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

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Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (from white-whole wheat flour through sea salt)
3. In a separate bowl, thoroughly stir together the rest of the ingredients (the wet ingredients).
4. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir gently until well combined.
5. Using an ice-cream scoop or large spoon, scoop the batter into the muffin tins, filling about ¾ of the way.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the muffins just bounce back when pushed on with a spoon.

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More recipes from Jessica Cerra.

Jessica Cerra is the owner of Fit Food by Jess, a private chef and catering company in Encinitas, Calif., and the co-founder of Harmony Bar. A former professional XTERRA triathlete, Cerra now races for Twenty16 Women’s Professional Cycling Team.