Spiced Peach Muffins

Every Saturday Dennis and I go to the local farmer’s market in Westfield. It’s nowhere near as big as the one in Union Square but they have a great selection of fruits and vegetables. Once the summer produce is in peak you can find cantaloupes, watermelons, squash, blueberries, tomatoes – basically all of the reasons NJ is called the Garden State!

We picked up a bushel of white peaches (Dennis’s favorite) and I decided to make some muffins with them. This was my first time making peach muffins since I usually stick to the tried and true (blueberry, pumpkin or banana). I took the original recipe from King Arthur’s Flour but made a few changes. I could say it was to make it healthier but it’s really because I didn’t feel like running back out to the store. I subbed in a cup of white whole wheat flour in place of regular flour and also switched out the vegetable oil for applesauce. Do you know this trick? I always use this when making quick breads and muffins. If you don’t want to get a big container of applesauce you can buy one of the six-packs they sell and use the individual containers as need arises.

Dennis said these were “peachy” – isn’t he a riot? He also said they didn’t taste healthy which apparently is a plus in his book.

Spiced Peach Muffins (adapted from King Arthur Flour)

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg

6 tablespoons applesauce

5 ounces milk

3 peaches, diced (not peeled)

Combine flour, salt, baking powder, brown sugar, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in egg, applesauce and milk, then gently stir in fruit. Grease 10 muffin cups, and heap batter into cups; they'll be very full. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until muffins test done.

Makes 10 muffins.