Strawberry Walnut Muffins- Quick & Easy!

It's always been important to me to make a meal or dessert that reflects the season of the holiday. Since it's Canada's Day, what better way to celebrate our beautiful country than showcasing our STRAWBERRIES!!

Most grocers will start to carry fresh Ontario strawberries around this time of year, and when they do, I go bat-shit-crazy for them! I put them in smoothies, cereals, eat them on their own, into baked goods and even into salads. If you can't get the fresh ones, frozen, pre-sliced strawberries will work just fine.

SO! Without further adieu, I give you the... STRAWBERRY WALNUT MUFFIN!!! AND! They are extra special because baked in the middle is a heavenly surprise of sweet strawberry jam. Who doesn't love strawberry jam? Tear that baby apart and smear "butter" on it when still slightly warm from the oven and you've got yourself a foodgasm!

What typically makes muffins so delicious are the absurd amount of oil. Not this muffin! I used apple sauce as the tenderizer/main wet ingredient. So go right ahead and eat two or more if you want (I know people who ate three in one day). The combination of sweet strawberries, crunchy walnuts and cinnamon make this a very irresistible muffin.

Easy and fast is how I like it.... You whip these lovelies up so fast, you'll be laughing and asking, "Thats's it?!"

Click here to watch Lo make them

You will need:

This recipe make 10 muffins.

1 cup Sliced Strawberries

1 cup Coconut Sugar

3/4 cup Apple Sauce

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 cups. Unbleached All Purpose Flour

1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts

2 tsp. Cinnamon

2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

Strawberry Jam

Whisk for one minute till smooth the coconut sugar, apple sauce, oil and vanilla extract.

Whisk till mixed the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, walnuts and salt.

Add the sliced strawberries to the dry ingredients and mix.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet into it. Fold till mixed. Do not over mix!

Line your muffin tins with paper cups and put one very large tablespoon scoop of batter into the muffins.

With the back of a spoon, push the batter down and make a little well.

Scoop a tsp. size dollop of strawberry jam into the middle of the muffin batter.

Scoop remaining batter on top of the muffins.

With the remaining strawberries, decorate the top of the muffin if you wish.

Place muffins into an oven at 400F for 15 minutes.

Turn oven down to 375F for the last 15-20 minutes to finish baking.

Cool on cooling rack.

Enjoy!!