Muffins are a fan favorite in our house. They are the definition of comfort food. I try to keep them as healthy as possible even though they usually have some sort of sweetener and of course flour in them. Luckily, one of my girlfriends shared this amazing muffins recipe with me that is packed with lots of the “good stuff.”
For starters, it uses whole wheat flour as the base combined with a cup of old fashioned oats which creates a deliciously hearty muffin. They are sweetened with honey or maple syrup two of my favorite sweetness! Both more natural; less processed. Then filled with up to 1 1/2 cups of any and all of your favorite goodies. I like to add chocolate chips, not so healthy- but hello… a must!!! Some type of shredded fruit or veggie (zucchini, apple, pear, coconut), dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, blueberries, cherries, dates), toasted nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts) milled flaxseed (check out this article on all the great benefits of flaxseed), and chia seeds. Wow talk about super foods!
It may take some experimenting to see what mixtures you like best, or you may be like me and mix it up differently every time. Either way, you can not fail. These muffins are delectable.
There are however a few great lessons I learned while making and researching ingredients for these muffins.
- Originally I used blue agave nectar to sweeten the muffins. Well after I researched it a little bit, I found out agave nectar is just a scam…. NOT nectar at all, rather a highly processed syrup. Into the garbage that bottle went. Easy fix though. I just replaced the agave nectar with honey or maple syrup, depending on my mixture. For more info, check out this article: Blue Agave.
- I also noticed my flaxseed had a strong scent and taste, so I checked into that. They should have a mild nutty favor, not bitter at all. So, I’ve learned that flaxseed can go bad. Into the garbage with that too! Another easy fix, I ran out to buy fresh flaxseed. By the way, I like to buy it whole and mill it myself.
- Make sure to not add more than 1 1/2 cup combined of all the goodies. Too much of a good thing will result in muffins that fall apart.
Let’s get to this delicious recipe.
Makes 12 large muffins. Time 30 minutes.
Ingredients
1 cup old fashioned oats
¼ cup ground flaxseed*
¼ cup dried cranberries*
½ cup chocolate chips*
1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
¼ cup applesauce
½ cup greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
1 t vanilla extract
Up to ½ cup honey or maple syrup
1 cup shredded fruit or veggie (see above for options)
**Additional for sprinkling on the top of each muffin before baking ~ chia seed and a dash of cinnamon.
Directions
Prepare your muffin tin for baking. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredient, including your mix-ins. Then in a medium bowl whisk the eggs and applesauce together until creamy. Stir in Greek yogurt and and vanilla. Once the mixture is smooth and creamy, add the shredded fruit. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients folding together until just combined The dough should form a large, wet, heavy ball.
Spoon the batter into your prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle the tops of each muffin with chia seeds and cinnamon. Bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes the. turn the oven down to 350 degrees and finish baking for 15-20 minutes. The muffins are done when the tops are crispy and when a tooth pick is inserted it comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in the pan before serving, about 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
Notes
* Stared items can be switched with any adding item adding up to 1 1/2 including the shredded veggies or fruit.
Muffins stay fresh in an air tight container for about 3-5 day. (If they last that long)
Muffins freeze well. Seal and freeze for up to 3 months.
This recipe was shared with me by a friend. She originally found it as a bread recipe in a Food Network Magazine as a Mix and Match Quick Bread recipe. She adapted it to make it into a muffin recipe that her family loves. Thank you for sharing Sara! 💕
Here is the link to the online original recipe from the Food Network.
⭐️ If you have a recipe you’d like to share, please send me an email: snugglesandsnacks@gmail.com. I’d be happy to test it out!
