Banana and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

I know I haven't posted much lately, and here's why.  It's the New Year and of course we're trying to eat better in my house.  My husband is gluten free and I'm just sort of doing my own thing but all of us are trying to eliminate sugar from out lives.  So, sadly I haven't had much that's interesting to cook.  I mean, you probably don't need to read about me making a grilled steak or chicken but slowly I'm finding more recipes that we can all eat. 

Like this one. 

Sweetened with maple syrup (love), gluten free, and my daughter's favorite flavor combination!  We're all happy with this one. My daughter ate two right out of the oven, which she never does.  She even knew they were good for her!  I think the banana chocolate chip flavor won her over.  I also let her make these, pretty much all by herself (not the oven part) and I think that helped also (she's super picky).

I loved that these muffins stay nice and moist, yet have a great texture from the oatmeal.  I used old fashioned oats and there is a nice chew with those.  Plenty of banana flavor and chocolate chips. My favorite part about these muffins is that they are the perfect amount of sweetness, and there's no sugar in them!  This will definitely become a favorite in my house, for everyone!

Banana and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

Recipe from Organize Yourself Skinny

Ingredients

• 3 cups quick or old fashioned oats
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 cup (2 large) bananas, mashed
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup 1% milk
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips
• cooking spray

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray, set aside .
3. In a medium bowl add the oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt and set aside.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, bananas, vanilla extract, and milk until smooth.
5. Add the oats into the wet ingredients and mix well, then add the coconut oil and chocolate chips and mix.
6. Fill each muffin cup with an equal amount of batter and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing to a wire cooling rack.
7. These can be frozen or refrigerated.

Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins

I made this muffin recipe twice in quick succession.  Here's what happened:

Me: Honey I made these blueberry muffins for a friends family because her son just had surgery and is recovering.  Don't you think they'll like that?

Husband: Yeah, they'll love it.

30 minutes later....

Husband: Where are those muffins you made?

Me: I sent them over to the neighbors house....remember?

Husband: You didn't even save me one?

Me: No, I mean, you didn't say you wanted one when I told you I made them.

Husband: (glaring at me) you didn't save a blueberry muffin for the biggest blueberry lover in this house?

Me: Um, I was going to make another batch just for you....so you can have all of them...all to yourself.

Husband: Oh really? (smiling now) that's really great, thank you!

Me: (moving off toward the kitchen to make yet another batch of muffins) whew that was a close call.

So, I can vouch for them being a dependable muffin.  They turned out great both times and they tasted amazing.  Yes, he shared.  Great crumb, moist with plenty of blueberries.  The streusel topping is amazing and really takes these muffins into the "Bakery" type.  My husband loves them, my daughter loves them, I love them.

Even though there isn't any school here, we still enjoy a quick snack or breakfast.  We take them to the community pool with us, on drives or as an after workout energy boost.  Very convenient and very delicious.

Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins
Recipe from Little Sweet Baker

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk or buttermilk
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Streusel Topping

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp cold butter
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425º and spray a 12 cup muffin pan or use cupcake papers.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs and whisk. Add the milk or buttermilk and vanilla and whisk again.
4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until all the dry ingredients are moist.
5. Fold in the blueberries.
6. Distribute the batter evenly into the 12 muffin cups.
7. Make the streusel
8. Combine the sugar, flour, cold butter and cinnamon in a small bowl and use a fork to break up the butter until small pieces remain.
9. Sprinkle the tops of the muffin cups with the streusel.
10. Bake for 5 minutes at 425º and then leaving the muffins in the oven, turn the heat down to 375º and bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Flax Bran Muffins

This is the most frequently made muffin in my house.  I love it.  I've always loved bran muffins but the the grocery store kind tend to be full of fat, so I was on a mission to find a healthier version.  I found it.

The nice thing about this recipe is that it's full of flavor, dense and moist and yet very healthy.  You can change up some of the flavors if you want, to suit your own personal taste preferences. I've discovered that adding orange flavors (thank you Emily) brings this muffin over the top for me.

This recipe is easy to throw together in a big mixing bowl and stir together, no need to dirty up your stand mixer.  I refrigerate mine so they'll last longer, just pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds to have a nice warm muffin.

Just look at all the carrot pieces and raisins. So good and good for you.  I never get sick of this one for breakfast or snacking. 

For you Weight Watchers members, this is 4 SmartPoints per muffin. 
Flax Bran Muffins

Recipe from Foodista

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup unbleached white all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 3/4 cup oat bran or wheat bran
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup carrots, grated
• 1 large apple, grated
• 1/2 cup raisins (or any dried fruit)
• 3/4 cup milk (I use orange juice sometimes)
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (if you have orange extract it's yummy here)
• I also add orange zest if I have any oranges around. 

Cooking Directions

1. Line or spray a 12 cup muffin pan or line with cupcake liners (this recipe makes 15 muffins)
2. Preheat the oven to 350º
3. In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, add the first 10 ingredients and stir together.
4. In a small bowl add the milk, eggs, and vanilla together. Beat the eggs prior to adding.
5. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir just until combined.
6. Fill the muffin cups to the top and bake for 15-20 minutes. Use a toothpick to check for doneness.

Chocolate Banana Muffins

One of my daughters favorite muffins is this banana chocolate chip muffin.  I've been making them for her for years.  This muffin tastes very similar to that muffin.  That means she loved them.  They are moist and delicious with a definite banana flavor and a chocolaty finish.  The sugar on top adds a little crunch and added sweetness. 

This recipe made a perfect dozen muffins and they freeze very well.  This is another great recipe to have on hand, you can make them on a free day and then have them for those hectic mornings.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Muffins

Recipe from Chef In Training

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups mashed over ripe bananas
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 whole egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips
• sugar for sprinkling on top

Cooking Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350º
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the banana, oil, and egg. Mix to incorporate.
3. In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and then add to the banana mixture. Incorporate.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Either line a muffin pan with papers or grease well. Add the mixture evenly to each muffin cup and sprinkle with about 1 tsp of sugar per muffin.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Bran Muffins with Raisins

Muffins make mornings so much easier.  Seriously.  I love how many varieties there are and how convenient they are to just grab on the run.  When I know I'm going to have a busy week I definitely have some on hand.  

This time I decided to make one of my favorites, bran with raisins, not believing that my daughter would eat them in a million years.  But guess what? She did.  She liked it. I was amazed.  I don't know what it is about bran muffins that I like so much.  I think it's the deep, rich nutty flavors, and sweet bites of raisins. I just love them.

I see lots of recipe where this muffin is made using raisin bran cereal but I didn't want to make that kind.  I wanted mine with some actual wheat bran in there. I guess I need to make both kinds and compare side by side. I'll add that to my to-do list.  In the meantime, I'm gonna go have another muffin.

Bran Muffins with Raisins

Recipe from Creative Loafing Charlotte

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup toasted wheat bran
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk (I used 1%)
• 1/4 cup molasses or honey (I used molasses)
• 1/4 cup oil (I used canola)
• 1 whole egg
• 3/4 cup raisins

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400º
2. Butter a 12 cup muffin pan or line with papers
3. Combine the dry ingredients in one medium bowl. (excluding raisins)
4. Combine the wet ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer or a separate medium bowl.
5. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and combine just until moist, add the raisins and mix just until combined.
6. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full and bake for 18-22 minutes.
7. Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack.

Gingerbread Muffins

Yes it does seem that I'm on a gingerbread kick lately.  I don't know why.  I started out trying to find something to pair with the Lemon Curd that I made here.  Gingerbread and Lemon is a great combination!  I really liked how these turned out and even though the muffins were yummy on their own.

I've been a sucker for molasses ever since I was little.  My gramma's molasses cookies are the best ever and they got my addicted to anything with a molasses flavor.

I'm still clinging to the hope that we're not done with winter here (or that we might actually get a winter) even though the trees are budding and allergies are kicking in.  These gingerbread muffins will make you feel warm and cozy inside.

I filled my muffin cups 3/4 full and they turned out perfectly.  The original instructions indicate you should fill them 1/2 full.

*Just made these again for the holidays 2015 and took the opportunity to update the picture.  I love this recipe.  I used store bought lemon curd this time around.

Gingerbread Muffins
Recipe from Taste of Home

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup molasses

Add all the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl and then add the egg, milk, oil and molasses in a separate bowl.  Combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just moist.  Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 15-20 in a 375º oven. 

Serve by themselves or top with lemon curd. 


  

French Breakfast Puffs

Why don't they call this a muffin?  I have no idea.  It looks like a muffin.  It is a very moist, easy to make "puff" that is perfect if you don't have very many ingredients on hand.  Favorfull, and the cinnamon sugar coating on top adds a nice little texture and bite.  I've brought these to work before and they were a hit!

Very easy to assemble.  Begin by putting the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in a bowl.  In your mixing bowl cream the sugar and shortening.  Then add the egg.  Now add half the flour mixture and mix well, then add the milk and incorporate, now add the rest of the flour.
Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 of the way full and bake in a pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes.  These puffs remain sort of pale in color so don't wait until they are golden brown on top.  This recipe made 8 puffs for me.
As soon as they come out of the oven dip the tops in some melted butter and then dip them in the cinnamon sugar mixture and let cool slightly before serving.

I found this recipe here: French Breakfast Puffs

Berry Cornmeal Muffins

My not-so-bad-problem-to-have yesterday was a bunch of strawberries that were planning to leave this world without my permission.  How rude!  So I took control and made some muffins.  I don't think I've ever made corn muffins before but I'll be making them again for sure!  They were yummy.  Warning: my little girl helped me make these so some of the photo's aren't necessarily that great.  But you'll have to suffer because I think its the cutest thing in the world when she helps me. Yep, I'm sappy like that.

Here's the line-up. Flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cornmeal, strawberries, yogurt, egg, butter.

Sorry for the shadows in this picture, the lighting in my kitchen is not so good. And I'm not a great photographer, not a good combination. 
Begin by mixing the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix the cut strawberries with 1/2 a cup of the flour mixture you just made.

In another bowl mix the yogurt, butter and egg together until smooth.

Stir the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture until combined.

Add the strawberries and gently fold them together.

Dollop the dough into your prepared muffin tins.  I sprayed the tins liberally, but you can use paper muffin cups also.

Put them into a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.  Watching them makes the time go by faster.  Not really, but taking pictures of your kids watching muffins bake is great fun.

These came out of the muffin tin with no problem at all.  I love the color - just barely golden brown on top. 

Plenty of strawberries inside.  These are a really good treat that I hope you'll try.  Different from your everyday muffins, but a nice change that I'll be making again.

Here's where I got this recipe:
Berry Cornmeal Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
1 (8 ounce container) Yogurt - recipe calls for strawberry flavored but I used vanilla.
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare your muffin tin by either spraying them, or using paper muffin cups.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cornmeal.
In a separate bowl mix 1/2 cup of the flour mixture with the cut strawberries.
In another bowl; mix the yogurt, egg, and melted butter together. 
Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture and mix until incorporated.  Fold in the strawberries.
Put an even amount of dough in each muffin cup and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Makes 12 muffins.