Jam Dot Power Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour 
2 tablespoons maple sugar or organic whole cane sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder 
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 
6 tablespoons rolled oats, toasted and cooled 
1/4 cup raisins or currants 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1 cup organic soymilk 
2 ripe medium bananas, peeled and mashed 
6 tablespoons pure maple syrup, dark amber or grade B 
2 tablespoons organic canola oil 
4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
2 tablespoons all-fruit jam

Directions

1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 375˚ F.  Oil the top of a standard muffin tin and line with muffin papers.

2. Place a wire mesh strainer over a medium bowl.  Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt to the strainer and sift into the bowl.  

3. Stir the oats, raisins and sesame seeds into the dry mixture.

4. Combine the soymilk, mashed bananas, maple syrup, oil, vinegar and vanilla in a separate medium bowl and mix well.

5. Pour into the dry mixture and stir with a rubber spatula just until no traces of the dry ingredients remain.  Allow the batter to rest about 30 seconds.  

6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup 3/4 full.  Drop about 1/2 teaspoon of jam into the center of each muffin.  Do not use more or the muffins won’t bake through.

7. Bake 15 to 16 minutes or until the muffins are lightly browned and firm and a tester inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean or just holding a few moist crumbs.