Cardamom-Scented Applesauce Mini-Muffins

Others may have brunch, but at our home we have pre-breakfast.

Pre-breakfast is a word coined by the imaginative Desi to describe a small meal he likes to have each weekend after waking up and before walking the dogs. It is not in any way to be confused with breakfast which is a more elaborate and substantial meal he usually makes himself once the walk and gym are out of the way. Desi always shares pre-breakfast with the doggies who are by now well familiar with the routine and start hanging out at the table before he even gets there.

At its most basic, pre-breakfast is whole-wheat toast with peanut butter and jelly, but sometimes I make healthy snacks like muffins or scones or nut breads that I can stow away in the refrigerator and which are ready to eat after a quick zap in the microwave or the toaster.

These bite-sized applesauce mini muffins are a perfect example of pre-breakfast at our home. They are low in fat and made with whole wheat pastry flour and are light and delicious and quite guilt-free for morning eats. I use cardamom and cinnamon to spice them up and the fragrance of the baked muffins is beyond description.

Yes, they are sweet, but then what's life without some sugar?

Desi has such a sweet tooth, in fact, that he'll sometimes eat these with a dollop of jelly, but they are perfect on their own. Here they are!

Applesauce Mini-Muffins

Ingredients:

Mix together in a bowl:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

A pinch of salt

In a larger bowl, whisk together to mix:

1 cup applesauce

3 tbsp canola oil

2 tbsp ground flax seeds mixed with 4 tbsp water

3/4 cup sugar

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a few strokes just until all ingredients are moistened. Don't overmix to make a smooth batter: lumps are fine, even good.

Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan and divide the batter equally among the cups.

Bake in a 400-degree oven for 10-12 minutes. When they are ready, the muffins will be lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin will come out clean.

Enjoy!