I hate muffins, but not like in the same way that I would say I hate Brussels sprouts. I hate muffins because they’re so cute and innocent and sweet that I really want them. But there’s practically no way to make a muffin worth its cost in Weight Watchers Points. No matter how much applesauce and whole-wheat and fruit you pack in, they still come out to 4 or 5.
These I kind of made up based on an Allrecipes, er, recipe. They’re only 3 points.
I’ll admit they’re smaller than the regular white-flour-sugar-oil yummy breakfast ones I crave, but I really like that they don’t taste “whole-wheat-y” like some healthy muffins do. I think it’s the pastry flour.
They also have more flavor because I used my homemade (sweetened) applesauce, which is heavy on fall-favorite spices cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. You can use store bought applesauce and add — very small amounts of — these, if you like.
I wound up using Splenda Brown Sugar blend because I stumbled over half a bag of it when looking for something else in the pantry. Didn’t hurt the flavor a bit. Kind of turned me back on to using the stuff if I can hold my nose at the price.
I also added a sprinkle of crumb topping, made with 1 tablespoon melted butter, a tablespoon of brown sugar and a sprinkle of pecans. Divided over 18 muffins, the calorie addition was negligible, but the topping added a little decadent hint of the lethal kind of regular muffins. Which I “hate.”
BLUEBERRY WHOLE-WHEAT PECAN MUFFINS
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup 1 percent milk
1/2 cup sweetened applesauce
1 egg
2/3 cup Splenda brown sugar blend
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin cups or use paper muffin liners. Mix together whole wheat pastry flour and milk, and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, mix together applesauce, egg, brown sugar blend, and vanilla. Beat in pastry flour mixture.
3. Sift together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir into bran mixture until just blended.
4. Fold in blueberries and pecans. Scoop into muffin cups.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly tapped.

If you’re reading this, you should be out picking blueberries instead. The sweet little blue orbs are bursting with possibility. Of course, truth be told, I should be out picking them, too. But I’m here to tell you that nothing is more versatile eaten raw, cooked or frozen. Eat them from breakfast to bedtime, or, better, breakfast-in-bedtime.
This recipe for Super-Easy Blueberry Jam looks like a great way to start.
It’s ready to chill in minutes, and makes 4 1/2 pints of sharable loveliness. Use it on bagels, toast, ice cream, pancakes, waffles, parfaits, mini cheesecakes, blintzes, pie filling … Do I sound like Bubba from Forrest Gump yet? Angel food cake, shortcake, tossed with chunks of cantaloupe and honeydew, or by itself with whipped cream …
I’m just going to go with all of the above.