Weight Watchers Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

Happy New Year, folks.

It's the start of 2015 and we know everyone is attempting to make their resolutions. Some people want to lose weight, some want to quit smoking. All of those are admirable goals.

My goals for 2015 are:

• Read 50 pages per day with a mix of fiction and non-fiction.
• Post on this blog at least once a week (make sure to talk about life and making things more interesting)
• Go to the gym at least three days per week/be able to run 10k by June.

I think these are all pretty reasonable goals. I don't think need to lose weight, but I would like to be more fit. Having a healthy lifestyle and being able to live in moderation is far more important than a "diet" in my opinion.

It's only day two of the new year, but I'm already in the process of writing my first post of 2015. I managed to read 50 pages yesterday in Walter Isaacson's Albert Einstein biography and on Monday I plan to start my Couch to 5K training program. I started the year hungover, but the second day has been much better.

I might not be dieting for the new year, but I'm sure a lot of you are. I'm posting on of my favorite "diet" recipes that I make not because it's a diet recipe, but just because it tastes good. One of my friends was always on and off Weight Watchers all the time, which is how I discovered this recipe. I found it again online and adapted my recipe from Laaloosh. I added fruit and flax seeds to my muffins because I like the added complexity. I ended up soaking my fruit in rum because I wanted to make stollen for Christmas and then never got around to it. I needed to find another use for my fruit.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you enjoy this recipe and hope to see you a lot more in 2015

Weight Watchers 3 point Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins
Ingredients

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup milk (a little extra if adding flax seeds)
• 2 Tbsp flax seeds (or more if desired)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 egg whites
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup dried fruit, soaked in a little dark rum
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Soak oats and flax seeds in milk for about an hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl.
3. Add the applesauce, egg whites and vanilla to the oatmeal soak.
4. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
5. Fold in fruit very quickly and spoon into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.