I LIVE for summer. I’ve decided that the most perfect day of the entire year is my birthday, May 25. That’s because on May 25, the entire blissful, happy SUMMER is laid out ahead, three whole months of glorious sunshine, green grass, barbecues, vacations, loads of parties with family and friends, the best food ever, and pretty much just a general sense of laid-back-ness in the world. May 25 is a glorious day.
And then suddenly, it’s the beginning of September. How is that possible? There has got to be some inter-galactic, space-time continuum, warpy star trek thing-a-ma-bob that makes time travel super fast in the summer, and then plods along like a sloth when it’s zero degrees and dark outside.
It’s mystifying.
September does have a few things goin’ for it, though. We get these huge, rolling afternoon thunderstorms in September. Crickets start chirpin’ away. (Drew used to tell our kids that the crickets come inSeptember on their way to Mexico for the winter. Cute.)
And the garden. I have to admit, there is no time like September for food.September is simply a magical time to eat. Peaches, berries, tomatoes, basil, melons, corn…and then pears, squash, apples. It’s pretty darn fabulous.
Apple Zucchini Streusel Muffins were born of the September harvest this year. All of the sudden, I had zucchinis the size of small children popping up in the corner of the garden. Add to that a little craving for apple crisp. And lo and behold, the two just sort of meshed together and Apple Zucchini Streusel Muffins were born! Turns out it’s a pretty darn good combo. Almost good enough to make me forget the waning days of summer. Almost.
Maybe September will slow down and become three months long. A girl can dream, right?
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup almond milk or milk
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup shredded apple
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3/4 cup oats
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 18 muffin tins.
- Mix dry ingredients in large bowl.
- Add eggs, oil, applesauce, milk and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Add shredded apple, zucchini and nuts, if using.
- Fill each muffin tin almost to the top with batter. Top with streusel mix.
- Bake 20-25 minutes, until a knife comes out almost clean.
- Melt butter and add all other ingredients.
- Mix well.
Notes
*Substitute more all-purpose flour for the whole wheat, if desired, or use just whole wheat.
*Leave out apple or zucchini, if desired, and just double the other one so you have a total of 2 cups.
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