Happy Friday, friends! I’m waving to you from Kansas City, where I’m so excited to be at the Chopped conference for food bloggers. I came last year, had an absolute blast and am back again! So many new and old friendly faces, so many laughs and so much learning! I’m gonna be exhausted all weekend from all this excitement But of course I still wanted to bring you something tasty: these apple and butternut squash muffins!
I’m also thrilled to share again about a Produce for Kids campaign with Publix that launched last week and runs through Oct. 26. It will raise funds for local Feeding America® food banks and offer Publix shoppers healthy meal solutions, recipes and tips. Eight fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers are participating: Avocados from Mexico, Crunch Pak® Sliced Apples, Del Monte Foods® Fruit Naturals® Cups, Eat Smart® Fresh Cut Vegetables, Fresh Express® Packaged Salads, Michigan Apples, Suja® Juice, Marie’s® Dressings. You can support the campaign by shopping at Publix and purchasing some great fresh fruits and vegetables from the supporting sponsors! (And you get fresh produce coupons totaling more than $4 at ProduceForKids.com/Publix.)
And since you know I love all things muffins, I of course wanted to come up with a new healthy muffin recipe for fall! (Other fall baking favorites include our beloved whole wheat pumpkin muffins and almond butter zucchini muffins.) These apple and winter squash muffins were big winners! They are soft and super moist - that fruit puree really keeps them light and tender.
They have a warm cinnamon flavor and a hint of apple and squash. Both are such mild flavors that they really blend well together. (And are unlikely to be detected if you have a “selective” eater. ) Plus these muffins are whole wheat and naturally sweetened, so that’s a win. ✋ I plan on packing these for school lunches, but they’d work for breakfast as well!
I puree my apple and squash mixture until smooth, but you could leave yours a little chunky if you prefer. M, strangely, will pick out apple chunks from her muffins even though she loves all things apple. I like using the fresh fall foods here, but you could also substitute 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce and 1 cup of canned or frozen winter squash puree. These muffins would be great served with a spread of butter, or even peanut or almond butter.
M’s reaction when I let her and J split a muffin that afternoon, as a taste test. “Really yummy, Mommy! Really yummy." J: “I have more?” Haha I promised I’d pack these for lunch that week. I hope you give these healthy squash muffins a try. And be sure to shop at Publix and stock up on produce! You can also visit ProduceForKids.com/Publix for more information on how to support the campaign. And you can visit their website and follow them on Twitter and Instagram for more recipe ideas and healthy eating info. ~ Kathryn
I was compensated for participating in this campaign, but the content and opinions here are my own. You can serve these with a spread of butter, peanut butter or almond butter. To freeze: wrap each muffin in aluminum foil then place in a freezer bag.
