Apple Pecan Muffins - Ellie Krieger (The Food you Crave)

Just made these for the first time and they were delicious (200 cal. each). It's really good for breakfast on the go, they freeze well too. They are pretty healthy since most of the fat is replaced with applesauce. You'll get about 14 muffins total, although the recipe says 12.

cooking spray
2 tablespoon sugar, brown, firmly packed
1/4 cup(s) nuts, pecans, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 cup(s) flour, all-purpose
1 cup(s) flour, whole-wheat pastry, or whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup(s) sugar, brown, firmly packed
1/4 cup(s) oil, canola
2 large egg(s)
1 cup(s) applesauce, unsweetened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup(s) buttermilk, low-fat
1 apple(s), such as golden delicious, cored, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (I used Granny Smith)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray (or use muffin cups).
   In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, the pecans, and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking soda, and salt.
   In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and the oil until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the applesauce and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk, just until combined. Gently stir in the apple chunks.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each one about 2/3 full and sprinkle evenly with the pecan mixture. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
4. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Enjoy warm or let cool completely before storing in an airtight container in fridge for up to 3 days, or freezing. Can be frozen up to 3 months.