Lunch: Cornmeal-Molasses Muffins

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Apples

Health benefits of Cornmeal-Molasses Muffins

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Apples will improve your body's sensitivity to insulin (Reference: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.full)

Ingredients

Vegetable oil or pan spray, for greasing
1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream1/2 cup smooth applesauce
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
2 large eggs
1 stick unsalted butter, melted (8 tablespoons)1/4 to 1/3 cup toasted oats for sprinkling, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut parchment paper into twelve 5-by-5-inch squares. Lightly grease the inside of a 12-cup muffin tin. Center a square of parchment paper over 1 of the cups and use your fingers to press the parchment into the cup, so that it sticks to the sides and bottom. Crease the paper as needed to fit and repeat with the remaining parchment (regular muffin liners work just as well but the parchment looks pretty).
2. Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.
3. Whisk together the yogurt, applesauce, molasses, orange zest, eggs and butter in a separate small bowl.
4. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined (don't fret if the batter is lumpy, this means your batter isn't over-mixed).
5. Fill each liner almost to the top of the tin (an ice-cream scoop lightly greased with nonstick spray will help). Sprinkle each muffin with the toasted oats.
6. Bake, rotating about halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the muffins comes out clean and the tops are just slightly puffed and spring back when touched, 20 to 24 minutes. Let rest in the hot muffin pan 3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool 30 minutes. Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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