Oat-Topped Fig Muffins

Offer these low-fat, heart-healthy muffins as a side dish or a dessert option for your lunch buffet. To enjoy them to the fullest, heat briefly in the microwave and pair them with raspberry or orange preserves. Bake the muffins the day before, cool to room temperature, and store in an airtight container. Save leftovers for breakfast.

Yield: 12 muffins (serving size: 1 muffin)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
• 1  cup  whole wheat pastry flour (about 5 1/8 ounces)
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1 1/2  cups  low-fat buttermilk
• 1 1/4  cups  chopped dried figs
• 2  tablespoons  canola oil
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1  large egg
• Cooking spray
• 1/3  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/4  cup  quick-cooking oats
• 1  tablespoon  butter, melted

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flours into measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture.

Place buttermilk, figs, oil, vanilla, and egg in a food processor; process until well blended. Add fig mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.

Combine brown sugar, oats, and butter in a small bowl; toss with a fork until combined. Sprinkle oat mixture evenly over muffins. Bake at 400° for 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes; remove muffins from pans, and cool completely on rack.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

235 (19% from fat)

Fat:

4.9g (sat 1.4g,mono 2g,poly 1g)

Protein:

5.4g

Carbohydrate:

44g

Fiber:

3g

Cholesterol:

23mg

Iron:

1.7mg

Sodium:

281mg

Calcium:

100mg