Healthy Oat Muffins (2 varieties)

Mel's Kitchen Cafe's Healthy Applesauce Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled/old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce  (*I use homemade bottled applesauce)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted  (*I prefer butter in this recipe)
• 1/3 cup sugar   (*I like to use brown sugar instead, generally only loosely packed)
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins, optional
• walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease the muffin cups. Set aside..
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the oatmeal, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, butter and sugar. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt (and cranberries or raisins if using). Make a well in the center and pour in the applesauce mixture. Stir until just combined (don't overmix or the muffins will be dense and dry). The muffin batter texture might be a bit different (wetter?) than other muffin batters but no fear, carry on!
4. Distribute the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake or the muffins will be dry.
5. Remove the muffins to a rack to cool completely. Once cool, I place 6-9 muffins in a large freezer ziploc bag, suck all the air out (oh yes I do) and seal the bag, then freeze, pulling them out one by one to stick in lunches or warm slightly for a snack.   (Good recipe to double because these muffins freeze well.)

Natty's Hearty Oatmeal Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup buttermilk*
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (dark brown good)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 TB oil (canola, olive, or coconut; *I have usually used olive oil in this recipe)
• 1/2 cup flour  (whole wheat works well)
• 1/2 cup wheat germ  (*I have replaced a couple TB with ground flaxseed before; I have also substituted oat bran, which seems to work just as well.)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, raisins, blueberries, bananas, and/or nuts (any additions you want; all optional)  (*My favorite additions are raisins or chocolate chips with walnuts or pecans.)

Directions

1. Mix buttermilk and oatmeal. Let sit for 10-15 minutes to soften oats.
2. Add brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and oil to oatmeal mixture.  Mix well.
3. Add mixed dry ingredients (flour, wheat germ, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon).  Stir until mixed.
4. Let batter sit 10 minutes.  Grease muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Makes about 12 muffins.

*Can make own buttermilk by pouring 1 TB white vinegar (or lemon juice) in 1 cup measuring cup, filling the rest of the way with milk, pouring into dish, and letting it stand 5 minutes.  Plain yogurt is also supposed to be a good substitute, but I've never tried it in this recipe.

**These recipes are very similar in composition and flavor.  We really like both of them.  :)