Banana Oat Muffins

Sun-shiny muffin!  Yum!!

When I was pregnant with my first son, I bought something like 100 books....because I was a little excited.  Oh.  And a little crazy, too.  What?  You know - baby brain!  That's a 'thing', right?  Right? RIGHT?? Any-who, of the 100 books, I only found 2 to be remotely useful and one was the "Hospital for Sick Children's Better Baby Food" book.  And although both my boys no longer need all the purees and can successfully eat their "solids", I often refer to this book for some great recipes the whole family can still enjoy.  These muffins are one that I make and are both simple and tasty!  They can easily serve triple duty - as breakfast, as a great lunch-box addition or as a yummy after school snack!

Banana Oat Muffins

• 1 cup All purpose Flour (I use organic unbleached)
• 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour 
• 1/2 cup Rolled Oats
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 3/4 cup Buttermilk*
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil (I use Coconut Oil)
• 1 fresh Egg
• 1/3 cup liquid Honey
• 1 medium banana, mashed
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips (this isn't in the original recipe but it "encourages" my youngest to eat these muffins...sigh)

*if you don't have buttermilk on hand, add 1.5 tsp of white vinegar to a measuring cup and add enough milk to measure 3/4 cup, let stand 5 minutes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Lightly grease or add paper liners to a 12 cup muffin tin
3. Combine the flours, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl
4. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, egg, honey and banana
5. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until just moistened
6. Stir in chocolate chips if using
7. Fill each muffin cup with enough batter to fill about 3/4 full
8. Bake for 18 min or until firm to the touch

Enjoy!

Oh.  As for the other 98 baby books, my doctor told me that I wasted my money and that women were having babies at the sides of fields for thousands of years without books and were able to immediately go back to work...in the field...so I immediately wondered what women, in what field and how can I send them my books?....and then I asked to be referred to an OB/GYN.  The End.

xo

Jen

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Muffins are so awesome!  Muffins are so nice!  Muffins are so tasty I will give you this advice...MAKE THESE MUFFINS!  Ha! 

These are simple and tasty and nutritious, too!  Please note that I try to use as many organic products as possible in our home but you can substitute whatever you have in your pantry.  I'm all about the substitutions...and the organics...so try 'em both!

Cast of characters:  Blueberries, White Vinegar, Coconut Oil, Coconut Sugar, Lemon, Salt, Baking Soda, Whole Wheat Flour (it's there..it's just camera shy), Milk (it's not there...I forgot to put it in the pic..oops)

Ha ha ha!  Naked Lemon!

Ready to go...it's now that the boys have started circling the kitchen like that shark in Cape Cod last week

Yummy! (sang in a high-pitched operatic voice)

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

• 3/4 cup Organic Coconut Sugar (or granulated sugar)
• 1 cup Milk
• 1/3 cup Organic Cold Pressed Coconut Oil (or Canola Oil)
• 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
• 1 TBSP white vinegar
• 2 cups Organic Whole Wheat Flour
• 1.5 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• zest of 1 whole lemon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Lightly oil or line muffin pan with paper liners
3. In a large bowl, mix the sugar, milk, coconut oil, lemon juice and vinegar together
4. In a smaller bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt and lemon zest together
5. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just blended
6. Gently fold in the blueberries
7. Fill muffin cups approx 3/4 full
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before removing from pan
10. Remove muffins from tin and allow to cool completely on baking rack
11. Store in sealed container on counter or refrigerator or freeze for longer storage
12. Marvel at yourself for being so darn awesome
13. Enjoy

That's it.  That's all.  I've had a ball.  Gotta go to the mall.  My pants are too small.....maybe it's from sampling too many muffins....with butter.

xo

Jen