Sugar Free Double Apple Muffins for babies and toddlers; oh no, not another muffin recipe!

Well yes but this is for a good reason.  My son has been unwell recently and has become (hopefully) temporarily lactose intolerant.  This has made me realise just how much milk, cheese, yoghurt etc I use in my cooking.  For a while at least we're having to cut that out so all the meals I had planned have gone out of the window.  Happily though since we started to cut out the dairy, things seem to have improved.  On advice of my doctor, I'm going to leave it a week or so then gradually reintroduce dairy and see how it goes.

Anyway, this made me realise that all of the frozen sugar free baking contained milk so I had a go at making some milk free muffins.  I'm not going to lie to you, the milk ones are better and there is room for improvement, perhaps a tsp of vanilla extract would help?  Anyway, the important judge was my son who'd barely eaten for a week and he said "hmm" and "more" so I think they get the thumbs up!

This experience has given me a small window into the world of people who have to cope day to day with milk allergies and lactose intolerances or any other dietary restrictions.  I take my hats off too you.  It's a right pain and I have to be honest and say I hope it doesn't last.

Double Apple Muffins for babies and toddlers - makes approx 24 - 30

Ingredients

115g, 4oz Porridge Oats
170g, 6oz Self Raising Flour
1 and a half tsp Baking powder
2 Apples grated (including the skin but not the core)
2 Eggs
200 ml Apple juice
6 tbsp of a mild flavourless oil, e.g. sunflower oil, rapeseed oil
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Mixed spice (I think this is called "apple pie spice" in the US)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180oC, 350F (if you're not using a fan oven you might need it a touch higher).

Mix the flour, oats, baking powder and spices in a bowl.  Put the remaining ingredients in a jug.

Grease two to three mini muffin tins with spray oil or brush with oil.  The silicone ones are good.  Then mix the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring until almost combined, don't stir too much.

Fill each hollow with the batter, it is quite wet but don't worry.

Bake for 13-15 mins approx (it took 14 in my oven but my old oven was a bit slower so just check by pressing the tops and seeing if they spring back easily.)

Put onto a wire rack to cool.  Keep in a tin / box for 24 hours or do as I do and freeze defrosting either at room temperature or in a microwave (although allow to cool before giving to a child.)

If you're looking for more milk free, sugar free baking, give my flapjacks a go (substitute the butter for a non dairy spread) or make my jalousie, brush with egg rather than milk and make sure the pastry is dairy free.  Otherwise for something completely different, I have been making my no sugar jelly for my son too.