Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Here are some muffins I make adapting a Brown Sugar Muffin recipe that both my mother in law and one of my aunts uses. Rory always insists every fall that we dry apples, but then we never eat them. This year I decided to come up with some way to use them. Every time I make these muffins, I substitute something else to make them a little healthier. Last time I made them, the first time I used splenda, I made some with sugar and some with splenda and I couldn't tell the difference.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins (Healthy substitutions in (parentheses)). This is a double batch.

1 cup butter or margarine (1/2 c margarine, 3 T. ground flax seed)

2 cups brown sugar (2 cups Splenda, I use the generic from Winco or Walmart)

2 eggs (You can substitute flax seed for these too, but I wasn't brave enough to change too many things at a time)

4 cups flour (I use whole wheat)

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups milk

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup reconstituted dried apples, chopped (I chop them in a mini food chopper thing that we got 5 of at our wedding reception)

Cinnamon (I use lots, probably 3 tablespoons)

2 cups chopped nuts (I have never added nuts, the other people in my family are opposed to them.)

Brown sugar (Optional)

Combine butter and sugar and mix well. Stir in eggs, flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Add milk, vanilla and mix well. Stir in apples and nuts. (The batter of these is really thick, not runny like most muffins I have done.) Scoop into muffin cups, sprinkle on a little brown sugar on top.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.