Deceptively Delicious... Applesauce Muffins

If you know me, you know that I'm not very domestic and definitely not one to enjoy cooking.  I grew up with a southern Mama who can sew, craft, garden and of course cooked mouth-watering southern food - fried catfish, shrimp every way you can imagine, homemade chicken tenders with homemade honey mustard dipping sauce (before honey mustard got popular) mashed potatoes, banana pudding... yes, people this was our weekly menu!  Unfortunately she did not pass the domestic gene on to me : ) 

My poor husband married a gal who doesn't iron, sew, and can't even stand to brown meat.  Until recently, I've been a hamburger helper girl all the way (after Tony would brown the meat lol!) Now, that I finally have my energy back after being incredibly nauseous for 9 months, I'm beginning a new relationship with food (that's real food people, not hamburger helper!)  

I actually glanced at my fridge yesterday and was so proud at how far we had come.  A year ago my refrigerator DID NOT look like this:  Notice the chicken marinating, organic baby carrots, sliced peppers and spinach, boiled eggs and fresh fruit ready to go for snacks...

So one of the things on my 30 before I turn 30 list is to try out some of the recipes in the Deceptively Delicious cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld.  I figure this will be the perfect time to do it, since I'll already be making veggie purees each week for babyfood.  So I'm diving in!  I'm starting with breakfast foods and here was my first try...

These are cauliflower and carrot purees (the veggies I already had in the fridge) I froze some of the carrot for future recipes... more on those to come! ( I've been a busy baker : )I made them in the food processor, but have since switched to the blender (I'm doing some research on the magic bullet).

 

Here is the liquid ingredients including the carrot puree

 

This is the completed batter and the "topping" which was a rolled oats and brown sugar mixture

 

 

And here's the finished product! Not the pretty things in the world, but they were pretty good.  The kids loved them which surprised me because they are very honest ( and River is a super picky eater) I thought they were just OK and Tony said the same.  The crunchy topping definitely helps!