Still, I welcome small variations to the familiar groove. Instead of homemade oatmeal, I might do granola, yogurt, or just some whole fruit. And sometimes I go crazy and bake my usual oats into delicious, compact muffins. It's essentially the same concept as my normal bowl--oats and fruit and other tasty stuff--only there's no spoon and it can be prepared in advance if I know I'm going to be pressed for time in the coming days.
If you're one of those on-the-go types, you can always pack up one of these muffins to eat wherever you happen to find yourself in the mornings. But even those who take their mornings lazy like me can appreciate the moist, bready texture of these tasty cups. They're great for rushed weekdays and slow Sundays alike.
You're going to need:
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I like to use melted coconut oil for its light, sweet flavor, but olive is good too)
- 1/4 cup applesauce or mashed bananas
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs (substitute another mashed banana if you're going vegan on this)
- 2 cups whole milk (or non-dairy substitute)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
- 1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries, freeze-dried blueberries, or whatever strikes your fancy
In a large bowl, cream your sugar with your oil. Beat in the applesauce/bananas and eggs, then the milk.. In a small bowl, combine baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then add all to wet mixture. Finally, stir in the oatmeal and raisins until everything is sufficiently coated. Pour batter into an oiled muffin pan lined with baking cups. Top each cup with a little sprinkling of brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake about 25 minutes or until a fork inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Enjoy on frosty mornings with sauteed apples, maple syrup, hot cooked blueberries, nutella, or whatever sweet goop you've got around the house.