Strawberry Cinnamon Muffins

Another Valentine's Day or anyday dessert idea are these moist, delicious muffins made with cinnamon bark essential oil.

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups fresh strawberries
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil (may substitute unsweetened applesauce to make it healthier)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (may use whole wheat flour or a mixture of whole wheat and all purpose)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 drops cinnamon bark essential oil (use only certified pure)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 425 F.

2. Put a paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups, or grease just the bottoms of 12 muffin cups.

3. Slightly smash strawberries in large bowl, using fork.

4. Stir in sugar, oil and eggs until mixed.

5. Stir in other ingredients just until moistened.

6. Spoon batter into muffin cups.

7. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown or toothpick poked in center comes out clean.

8. Cool 5 minutes.

9. Loosen sides of muffins from pan if needed, and take them out of the pan

Makes 12 muffins.

For a fun Valentine's Day twist, place 2 glass marbles stacked on top of each other on the outside of the paper baking cup to creat the indented part of a heart shape so that your muffins look like hearts when baked.

Note: If you do not have fresh strawberries, you can use frozen strawberries that you have thawed and drained.

I adapted the recipe I found here to incorporate essential oils and make a healthier receipe with healthier ingredients.