thrifty, easy muffins for the lunch box

This past Sunday was a gorgeous rainy winters day, perfect to warm up the house with the oven all ready to fill the freezer for the coming school week, or work week for that matter.

I love making these little muffins as they contain a lot of fruit, very little oil and sometimes some vegies and are a little treat for the lunchbox without too much guilt.  

I have people say to me all the time "but I don't have the time" or this gem "I hate cooking" well these are so simple and can be done in minutes, they almost make themselves. 

I like to use a base of grated or microplaned apples and mashed banana but you can also add carrot, zucchini, berries - fresh or frozen, dates, apricots, coconut, choc chips all in small handfuls from this base recipe but not all together!  Walnuts or almonds sprinkled on top are great too but school has a no nut policy, party poopers. Half a strawberry, or a couple of choc chips or a few frozed blueberries in the bottom of the patty pan before you put the mixture on adds a little surprise. 

Sometimes instead of hundreds and thousand sprinkles I will make a mixture of icing sugar and water, a touch of pink food colouring and drizzle this over once they are cool.

They are a great way to use up some cheap fruit or whatevers in your cupboard or freezer without forking out for expensive pre-packaged muffins or muesli bars.  I brought a 6 pkt of apples from aldi for a few $'s this week which will all become cooked treats.  I think this batch of a dozen cost less than $3 and will last over 2 weeks allowing one each weekday, pretty good I'd say, oh and one or two as tasters just out of the oven.  Freeze them to add to the lunchbox and they will be defrosted in time for morning tea, your kids will love you for them.

Apple and banana muffins

2 cups s.r. flour, sifted

1 tspn bicarb soda, sifted

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup oats

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup milk 

2 eggs, whisked

a dash of vanilla essense

2-3 apples, grated with no need to peel

1 medium ripe banana, mashed

1 tspn cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 180c.

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a jug mix together all wet ingredients and fruit. Add wet to dry. Don't over mix, doesn't matter if all the flour isn't perfectly incorporated.

Perfect for little fingers to squelch

Line a muffin tray with patty pans. Use an icecream scoop to place dough into patties. Top with sprinkles if using them. Bake for approx 25 minutes.

Do you have any little cakes or slices you bake for the freezer? Would love to hear if you do.  I'm always on the look out for new things to bake.

Ciao, Jan