Honey & Goat Cheese Filled Fig and Flaxseed Muffins

Oh, are these good! They are also good for you. I was browsing the new Eating Well magazine and came across this recipe for honey & goat cheese filled fig muffins. They sounded too yummy. You can click here for the original recipe. When I started to make this recipe I decided to omit one of the eggs and add ground flax seed as a substitute. I used Meyer lemon zest with the goat cheese filling. I also didn't have any white whole-wheat flour so I just used regular unbleached. I would absolutely make this again.

Honey & goat cheese filled fig and flax seed muffins (adapted from Eating Well Magazine)

3/4 cup crumbled soft goat cheese or reduced fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
2 cups of unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon ground flax seed( mixed with 3 tablespoon of water and let sit for 2 minutes to gel)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons of turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degree F. Line muffin cups with paper liners or coat with cooking spray.

Thoroughly combine goat cheese, honey, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl. Set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Lightly beat eggs, egg white and flax seed mixture together in a medium bowl; add brown sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and whisk until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in buttermilk and oil until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined; do not over mix. Fold in figs.

Spoon half the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Add 1 generous teaspoon of the reserved cheese filling to the center of each muffin, and cover with the remaining batter. (The filling should not be visible.) Sprinkle the muffins with sugar.

Bake the muffins until the edges start to brown and the tops spring back when gently pressed, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.