What to do with Melons...

Every summer we buy melons- watermelons, honeydews, cantaloupes, and so forth.  However, as a family of four, we often have trouble finishing the whole melon.  Last summer I made a muffin with a cake mix and watermelon.  This summer I decided to work on that recipe.  These muffins turned out delicious!  They were light, fluffy and very healthy.   They are also dairy free and egg free.  If you would like to use eggs instead of the flax seed, replace the water and flax seed with 2 eggs.  Enjoy the recipe!

Melon Muffins with Lime Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
1 Cup Blended Melon
1  Cake Mix (White, Yellow, or French Vanilla)
1/2 Cup Multi Grain Hot Cereal (I used Hodgkins Mills)
1/2 Cup Applesauce
1/4 Cup Juice (I used mango/tangerine, but any juice would work)
1/8 Cup Flax Seed
3/8 Cup Water

Lime Caramel Sauce (Optional)
1/4 Cup Honey
Juice of 1 Lime
Lime zest

Melon Muffins
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Microwave water for 45 seconds.  Mix flax seed into water and stir.  Set aside to cool.

2. In your magic bullet or blender, blend about 2 cups fresh melon (I used cantaloupe and watermelon).  Your goal is 1 cup of blended melon.  You want a thick juice.  Small chunks of melon are okay, they actually taste delicious in the muffin!

3. In a large bowl, mix together melon, muffin, multi-grain cereal, applesauce, and juice.  After mixing, mix in flax seed.  Thoroughly spray muffin tins with non-stick spray.  Fill each muffin tin almost to the top.  It will make 12 muffins.  Bake for 23 to 25 minutes.  Muffins will start to crack and pop up when gently pushed.  They will also start to brown around the edges.  Let cool before adding sauce. (I let ours sit covered overnight)

Lime Caramel Sauce
 Poor honey in a small pan.  Juice 1 lime into pan (make sure to remove seeds).  Mix together.  Cook on high, stirring constantly.  It will take 2 to 3 minutes to make the caramel.  I let mine boil for almost 5 minutes and that was too long.  The caramel and lime will start to boil and then froth up.  Keep stirring, it burns easily.  After it has reached a rapid boil, let boil for a minute.  Pull off the heat and let continue boiling for a minute, stirring while it cools.  Drizzle over muffins.  Grate lime zest over top of the muffins.