Basic Oat Muffins

For several years now, the Swallow has been preparing breakfast muffins for her mate. Working in the healthcare, he required a substantial and healthy breakfast that could last him till the lunch hour which would usually be about six hours later.

Initially, the Swallow made sandwiches but this couldn't fill him long enough and he wasn't really a 'bread' person. Having an oatmeal in the morning was something he could consider and this went on for a while. He didn't complain (yes, the Swallow is grateful he is 'low-maintenance') but she felt there was something more that he could eat for breakfast. Also, he was frequently on the move each day and he felt the weakening effects of a small breakfast many times.

Many experiments later, the Swallow has found that breakfast muffins made with oats filled him best. Adding in dried cranberries and he easily ate two muffins every morning when he was on the go. Making these in a batch of twelve also lessen the Swallow's anxieties for the week as she wasn't much of a 'morning' person.

BASIC OAT MUFFINS (makes 12 muffins)

Dry Ingredients

Muffins baking in the oven

120 g rolled oats
120 g plain flour
50 g brown sugar
50 g fine sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)
1/2 tsp fine salt

Wet ingredients
250 g plain yoghurt, at room temperature
2 large eggs, about 60g each, at room temperature
125 ml sunflower oil
1/2 tsp vanilla essence (optional)

Additional ingredients - see variations below

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. 
2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Remove the lumps of brown sugar by pressing them to the side of the bowl with a spoon.
3. Mix the wet ingredients together in a smaller bowl.
4. Add the additional ingredients accordingly (see variations below). If its a dry ingredient, to the dry and if it's a wet ingredient, to the wet. Mix well.
5. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. Using a spoon, combine them together quickly but don't over-mix.
6. Spoon the combined mixture into twelve muffin cups.
7. Bake the muffins for at least 20 minutes. They are done when a  toothpick inserted into the centre of the each muffin comes out clean.

Notes

• This is a basic recipe. Variations can be made but adjust the bake time as needed. Some variations may produce moist muffins while others are drier. Some sweeter, some less. Experiment and let your family tell you what they like. 



Cranberry Oat Muffins

• If you are not a fan of oats, replace the oats with plain flour. However, the texture of the muffins will change.

Variations

1. Cranberry Oat Muffins - 200 g dried cranberries



Banana Oat Muffins

2. Banana Oat Muffins - 200 g bananas (mashed)
3. Seeds Oat Muffins - about 160 g mixture of various types of seeds such as pumpkin, melon, sunflower, sesame, etc

   

   Seeds Oat Muffins
   

4. 100g dried cranberries, 25g pumpkin seeds, 25g melon seeds & 25g sunflower seeds
5. 100g dried cranberries & 80g chocolate chips / couverture droplets
6. 100g bananas (mashed) & 80g walnut pieces