Low fat cranberry muffins

Since I bought the perfect fitting cupcake liners for my cupcake tray, the cupcakes seem to bake well. My kids have their friends over, so they like having these mini treats with their evening milk, after afternoon of play and games...!!! A snack, which looks like a cupcake, yet it is kinda healthy(compared to any store bought stuff, I could give them), and which is very easy to make and bake without any lengthy procedure or fancy baking equipment.... :) Sounds good, doesn't it ...?? It tastes good too, with burst of fresh flavors.... !! Google searched and found this yummy recipe, here. It's detailed and I chose to do the original version, with few changes.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour (OR whole wheat flour... check notes)
  
• 3/4 cup quick cooking oats (OR use rolled oats)
• 1/3 OR 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder (As I used self-raising flour, I omitted this ingredient)
• 1/2 cup of dried cranberries (OR use dried cherries, apricots, raisins)
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips(OR use roasted walnuts)
• 1 egg (or 2 egg whites.....OR 2 tbsp yogurt to make the eggless version)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 tbsp oil (any flavorless oil, I used canola)
• 1 tsp grated orange zest
• more oats, chocolate chips, cranberries to sprinkle on top

Recipe:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees for about 10 mins.
• Line the cupcake tray with paper liners.

• Zest the orange.

• Powder the oats, to flour in a grinder.

• Sift flours, salt, baking powder in a large bowl. 
• I pureed the cranberries. You can use them whole.

• Add sugar and dried cranberries. Mix with a spatula.

• Add chocolate chips or walnuts. Mix again. 

• Make a well in the center of dry mix and keep aside. 

• In a measuring cup, measure milk.
• Add oil and egg(or yogurt) to it.

• Add orange zest and mix with a fork or a whisk.

• Add this liquid mixture, to the dry ingredients.

• Mix with a spatula to get a smooth batter. 

• Add additional 1-2 tsp milk, if you think the batter is too thick.

• Add about 2 tbsp of batter in the cupcake molds.

• Top it with 1/2 tsp of oats, cranberries or chocolate chips.

• Bake for 20-25 minutes till the tops are browned and a toothpick comes out clean. 

• Cool them completely, before serving. 

Quantity:

• Makes 12 medium size muffins.

Notes:

• You can use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose one. But, the muffins will be denser and different taste.(acquired taste)
• You can use rolled oats(or maybe steel cut oats -- I have never used steel cut oats) to make oat flour.
• You can use low fat milk and just 2 egg whites instead of a whole egg.
• You can use 2 tbsp of yogurt(Instead of egg), to make the recipe EGGLESS.
• The taste will differ and the muffins will be denser...if u use healthier ingredients.... :) 
• As I pureed the cranberries, sugar can be reduced to maybe 1/3 cup....if you like the muffins to be on less sweet side...!