Monday, December 28, 2015

Healthy Morning Glory Muffins

Healthy Morning Glory Muffins

This recipe is a terrific breakfast muffin. It combines oats, orange juice and raisins with the sweetness of maple syrup plus crunch from coconut and sunflower seeds in a whole grain bite that is free of refined sugar. Looking for a healthy breakfast muffin? Here you are.

This recipe combines oats, orange juice and raisins with the sweetness of maple syrup plus crunch from coconut and sunflower seeds in a whole grain muffin that is free of refined sugar.


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This time of year I am enjoying copious amounts of citrus thanks to the Band Fruit Fundraiser (here's a link to 156 food blogger recipes using seasonal fruits like the kind my son sold at his recent marching band fruit fundraiser--support a band near you!). I'm also baking--and eating--rich holiday treats like those I recently shared during #ChristmasWeek--have you entered the Amazon Gift Card Giveaway yet? As such, I will take any opportunity to boost the nutrition in my other meals.


This recipe combines oats, orange juice and raisins with the sweetness of maple syrup plus crunch from coconut and sunflower seeds in a whole grain muffin that is free of refined sugar.


When I fix muffins as a breakfast food I know I'm giving my kids something nourishing that will power them through the morning. My mom is Canadian {I'm American so she's not my mum, she's my mom} and thank goodness for that. She raised me on Canadian muffins. Compared to American muffins, Canadian muffins have less sugar and less fat. American muffin recipes seem like cupcakes to me. I love cupcakes. Just not for breakfast.


This recipe combines oats, orange juice and raisins with the sweetness of maple syrup plus crunch from coconut and sunflower seeds in a whole grain muffin that is free of refined sugar.



I am a 'jump first, ask permission later' type of person. I made these muffins then asked the crew of #MuffinMonday for help in naming them. Lauren sent me the link to Original Morning Glory Muffins and after I picked my jaw up off the floor laptop a couple of times (1+¼ cups sugar and 1 cup of oil in a 16 muffin recipe that's supposed to be GOOD FOR YOU?? Are you kidding me?!) I decided I'd go with the name anyway for 2 reasons.


This recipe combines oats, orange juice and raisins with the sweetness of maple syrup plus crunch from coconut and sunflower seeds in a whole grain muffin that is free of refined sugar.


First, because according to Google Trends a grand total of zero people search for Oatmeal Orange Raisin Muffins with Coconut and Sunflower Seeds or any combination of those ingredients--whereas a handful of people search for Morning Glory Muffins.



This recipe combines oats, orange juice and raisins with the sweetness of maple syrup plus crunch from coconut and sunflower seeds in a whole grain muffin that is free of refined sugar.


Second, because these muffins really are a glory-ously healthy start to your day. After looking at the Original Morning Glory Muffin (with the carrots, raisins and pineapple)--it reminds me of my Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins. (Yes, they are also free of refined sugar. Not sorry). So try those if you're interested in a produce-filled treat without gobs of sugar and oil.


This recipe combines oats, orange juice and raisins with the sweetness of maple syrup plus crunch from coconut and sunflower seeds in a whole grain muffin that is free of refined sugar.


For more citrus-using muffins, please allow me to point you to Grapefruit Honey Bran Muffins. I've also got a Tangerine Ricotta Muffin, a mixed Citrus Honey Whole Grain Muffin, an Oatmeal, Orange and Beet Blender Muffin, and Orange Date Olive Oil muffins (I also made those vegan).


This recipe combines oats, orange juice and raisins with the sweetness of maple syrup plus crunch from coconut and sunflower seeds in a whole grain muffin that is free of refined sugar.


For more recipes using oranges, please see my Orange Recipes Collection. It's part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me still enjoying the Band Fruit Fundraiser citrus and feeling bittersweet that my Band kid is a senior. I'm discovering more recipes on Pinterest, follow me there, as well as on Instagram--to see more of Robert Barker in action--and Facebook. Want to know How To Use This Blog?

This recipe combines oats, orange juice and raisins with the sweetness of maple syrup plus crunch from coconut and sunflower seeds in a whole grain muffin that is free of refined sugar.

Make Ahead Note: the oats for this recipe should be soaked in buttermilk for at least an hour. I find it pretty easy to fill a wide mouth pint canning jar with a cup each of oats and buttermilk, screw on these handy reusable lids (Amazon affiliate link), and toss in the fridge overnight or up to several days.

Healthy Morning Glory Muffins (recipe out of my head and pantry)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled oats (old fashioned kind is how I roll)
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup raisins (I used golden ones)
  • ¼ cup dried diced pineapple cubes
  • zest and juice of 1 orange (that'd be 1 generous teaspoon zest and ¼ cup juice)
  • ¼ cup oil
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1+½ cups (6 ounces by weight) whole wheat flour
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1+½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 Tablespoons shredded coconut (I'm using sweetened)
  • 2 Tablespoons salted & roasted sunflower seeds
  • optional--maple sugar for sprinkling on top

Instructions

  1. Starting at least an hour before, but easily overnight (see Note above) combine oats and buttermilk in a large bowl. 
  2. When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a regular size muffin pan with paper liners. (I found spraying didn't really do these any favors and was a pain to clean so I'm recommending paper liners).
  3. Add raisins, pineapple, the zest and juice of an orange, oil, syrup, egg and vanilla to the oat mixture. Stir well--this is your wet team.
  4. (I'm a poor excuse for a #Muffin Method baker because I am also the sole dishwasher these days, and I hate creating extra dishes.) Dump the flour then scatter the salt, baking soda, and baking powder across the wet team.
  5. Stir gently a few times, then dump the coconut and sunflower seeds on top. Stir until just blended.
  6. Scoop into prepared pan.  Sprinkle maple sugar on top if you'd like. I've done it with and without, both work.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and let cool in pan another 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. These are yummy warm with a bit of buttery spread, and keep for a couple of days getting moister on Day 2 like a banana bread.

This recipe combines oats, orange juice and raisins with the sweetness of maple syrup plus crunch from coconut and sunflower seeds in a whole grain muffin that is free of refined sugar.




#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

14 comments:

  1. I love your "recipe out of my head and pantry," Kirsten! Those are often the best kinds of recipes, especially in the case of muffins. So much wonderfulness in yours! Not that I am completely against sugar in muffins - I do use it often - but I completely agree in general that muffins should not be as sweet as cupcakes.

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    Replies
    1. Stacy,
      I'm glad I wrote most of the ingredients down the first go 'round of this recipe. That made things easier for the second batch, when I wanted to tweak the amount of raisins and try a bit of vanilla.
      I'm not going to knock the mere presence of sugar in muffins. I have some sugar in most of my muffin recipes.
      However, I will lambaste (quietly, here on my own blog) a recipe that's supposed to be good for you, what with the organic carrots and organic pineapple and all, that calls for more than a cup of sugar and makes 16 muffins. Balls to that.
      Thank you for hosting #MuffinMonday--I ordinarily would be off this week, but for you young lady, special post!

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  2. These look so wonderful - packed full of so many tasty goodies in each bite!

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    1. Rebekah,
      Thank you! I gave away half of the first batch, but the 2nd day of the 2nd batch was scrumptious!

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  3. That is a lot of goodness packed into each muffin, they sound delicious (and yes, healthy). And really, anything with maple sugar and I'm a goner - love that stuff.

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    1. Heather,
      I picked up 2 jars of Maple Spread from the farmer's market. The maple guy told me it's thick maple syrup, cooked down further but not dried like maple sugar. It lives in the freezer. I intended to give one to my maple-loving nephew for Christmas but . . . forgot about it in the freezer. Oops.
      Thanks!

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  4. That dog steals my heart! Thanks for all of the recipe suggestions using citrus. I have a tangelo tree laden with fruit all ready to ripen at the exact same time! Your muffins sound perfect! So nice to healthify a recipe to prove you don't need all of that sugar and oil.

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    Replies
    1. Karen,
      Robert Barker stole my heart the moment I saw him at the shelter. I didn't even notice if he was a boy or a girl, just that he was a good looking Basset. (And I only meant to drop off the unused guinea pig food and bedding after our last composting pig died, I had no intention of falling in love again.)
      Thanks!

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  5. I am so glad you shared these healthier Morning Glory Muffins. Especially during this time of year when we all become a little more health conscious for a while.

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    Replies
    1. Wendy,
      I hear ya on "health conscious for a while"! My best, most longest-lasting menu changes came when I only made small changes and on a set schedule. One year while deployed I vowed to eat a single serving of a vegetable every day in January, I added on a single serving of fruit in February, a second serving of vegetables in March, and so on until by May I was at 5 a day. Did I go over on the servings? Sure did, but with such a small goal (a single serving to start) it was very manageable.
      Come to think of it, those small changes, from . . . nearly 20 years ago . . . I still do today. If I'm adding dried fruit to my oatmeal it will be ¼ cup, because that's a serving.
      Thanks!

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  6. Great recipe you've got here! My aunt would love it, I'll be sure to share it with her.

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    Replies
    1. Lauren,
      What a good niece--thanks for sharing!

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  7. I'm in. These sound delicious and like what muffins should be. Besides I needed a good excuse to use that last remnants of buttermilk in the fridge.

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    Replies
    1. Meghan,
      I loved your photos on Instagram-nice muffins and a terrific Polish Pottery pan! Thanks for tagging me--I'm so glad you enjoyed them!

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