Coconut Cranberry Muffins

Cooking Light, 2005

    2 cups flour                                                   
    2/3 cup sugar                                                  
    2 teaspoons baking powder                                      
    1/4 teaspoon salt                                              
    1 cup sweet dry cranberries                                    
    2/3 cup light coconut milk                                     
    1/4 cup butter melted                                          
    1 teaspoon lemon zest                                          
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract                                   
    1 lg. egg light beat                                           
    2 teaspoons sugar                                              

MAKES 1 DOZEN

Coconut milk gives these muffins a little more sweetness and a slightly denser texture than cakelike muffins. Use any other dried fruit you like in place of the cranberries- dried currants or chopped dried apricots, for example, would work well.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups,- level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in cranberries,- make a well in center of mixture. Combine coconut milk and next 4 ingredients (through egg), stirring well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Place 12 muffin cup liners in muffin cups. Spoon batter into lined cups. Sprinkle evenly with 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pans immediately,- place on a wire rack.

CALORIES 200 (23% from fat); FAT 5.1g (sat 2.7g, mono 1.7g, poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 2.9g; CARB 36.1g; FIBER 1.1g; CHOL 28mg; IRON 1.2mg; SODIUM 167mg; CALC 52mg