Where have I been this past week? Working 12 hour shifts -> Santa Barbara <3 -> Los Angeles for Fabi’s Tri -> Visiting family -> Driving back to SF -> Back to work! Fabi and I drove down to Santa Barbara on the way to his triathlon in Malibu and stopped to eat lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, The Boathouse…
The Boathouse is a great little spot right on the beach. I still remember it like yesterday how Fabi proposed to me on the beach there! It was so great to visit this special place and have a bit to eat on our way to LA. It was a perfect day, and many people were on the beach and swimming in the ocean, enjoying the sun. Oh Santa Barbara, how I miss you!
Today was the first day I had time to get back in my kitchen and bake. With the Fall season quickly approaching, I was in the mood to bake an apple treat: apple streusel muffins. Zulka had sent me their new Brown Pure Cane Sugar to test, so I thought this apple muffin would be the perfect recipe to try it in. Zulka is a line of unrefined, non-GMO cane sugars that are harvested using sustainable practices, preserving the fresh, natural flavor of the sugar cane plant. The new Brown Pure Cane Sugar is really good, and makes a mean streusel 😉
For the streusel, I mixed chopped walnuts, pecans, cinnamon and brown sugar. I didn’t use butter to keep it light. The streusel turned out sweet and crunchy, without the extra calories! I used Ellie’s Apple Muffin recipe as a start, and changed just a few things. I used yogurt instead of apple sauce (otherwise I think it makes the muffins too sweet), and a little less sugar.
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
- ⅔ cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1 Gala apple, peeled, cored and chopped
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a small bowl, combine the nuts, 2 tbsp brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Add the remaining ingredients, except the apples, to a bowl/blender and mix very well.
- Stir in the apples.
- Transfer the batter to the muffin pan, filling each mold ¾ full.
- Top with the streusel.
- Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes.
- Remove from the muffin pan and cool 10 minutes more before serving.
Recipe adapted from Food Network, Ellie Krieger’s Apple Muffins, 2005.
Such romantic memories *swoon* like out of a book 😀
And these muffins? Out of my dreams 😀
Did I get them the wrong way around? haha
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I am so glad you cut into these muffins so you could see the deliciousness in each one. These look amazing. Take care, BAM
These look delicious! So moist and perfect for Fall! I have a serious weakness for muffins.
Right near me there is a restaurant called The Boathouse and it’s right on the water and I love going there. How special to go back to where you became engaged! I love your streusel muffins; they look so moist and full of flavour xx
That is so sweet that you got to visit the place where your hubby proposed!! It looks like a beautiful place!! I absolutely love Santa Barbara!! And I love these apple muffins. They look amazing!
These look amazing. Girl, you have been busy! How in the world do you find time to cook with that crazy schedule? 🙂
I love Boathouse! We have an office in SB so whenever I work there I make a weekend brunch visit to that restaurant. Can’t beat it!
I have to go to The Boathouse! It looks so good and it’s not far from me! These muffins also look amazing 🙂