Ingredients

1/4 cup reduced-fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar

Directions

Beat the cream cheese and maple syrup together until smooth.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Coat 10 muffin cups with nonstick spray.

Sift together the flours, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, egg whites and sugar.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Gently fold together until an evenly moist batter forms.

Spoon into the muffin cups until they are one-quarter full. Drop a teaspoon of the sweetened cream cheese in the center of each muffin, then finish filling the muffin cups with batter.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the muffins are firm and golden to the touch. Makes 10 muffins.

Nutritional information per muffin: 188 cals., 5 g pro., 7 g fat, 26 g carbo., 282 mg sodium.