Blueberry Oat Breakfast Muffins

I like to grab a muffin of two for a quick breakfast with coffee. Really want it to be as healthy as possible. This recipe fits the bill for me. The recipe is a large one and is meant for Jumbo muffin tins but can be used in regular size muffin tins as well. It yields about 21 regular sized muffins. Despite the oats, oat bran and flax meal, the muffins are light. They are not particularly sweet. If you like it sweeter, the sugars may be increased to 1/2 cup each OR just add about 1/4 cup good quality Maple Syrup. Either way will work. Just don't do both! They freeze well.I wrap them in foil and store in a freezer bag in the freezer. To reheat, take down the night before and keep in the refrigerator. Reheat in a microwave on low power until reheated through (remove the foil wrap and the foil liner before putting in the microwave). I wrap the muffin in a damp paper towel to reheat in the microwave.

 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup oats

½ cup oat bran

1/3 cup brown sugar 

1/3 cup white sugar

2 tbsp baking powder

1/4 cup ground flax

2 tsp salt 

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups half and half

1 tbsp Molasses

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup yogurt

1 cup blueberries

½ cup Craisins (or Raisins)

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp allspice

½ tsp nutmeg

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix the flours, oats, oat bran,  Craisins, baking powder, spices, salt and flax together.
3. In a separate bowl (large), whisk the eggs, vanilla, yogurt, half and half, sugars, and oil.
4. Add the mixed dry ingredients, and the blueberries to the wet. Use a wooden spoon to do this by hand. Do NOT overmix. The batter should be slightly lumpy and the flour mixture just moistened.
5. Spoon batter into muffin tins lined with foil liners.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops barely start to brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Makes 18 large muffins or 21 regular-sized muffins.

Jamaican Bulla Oat Cakes

This recipe came about because I wanted a “breakfast bun” that reminded me of a Jamaican “Bulla” that I used to eat as child growing up there. The thing with “Bulla” is that they tend to get stale quickly and have to be eaten when they are freshly baked. Also wanted it to be packed with cereals like oats and Flax, and fiber so I could eat it for breakfast (just one) and find it filling. I thought therefore to cross a Jamaican Rock Bun with a Bulla….this "Breakfast Bun" is the result of that thinking. Oat cakes are not a part of Jamaican culture but I think if one tastes these, they might well become a part of the diet. They are soft, sweet, and freeze well. One should be enough for breakfast.They are quite large (the size of a Bulla, about 3-4" in diameter).

Ingredients

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 cups flour

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger (optional) 

1/2 tsp Jamaican allspice

½ tsp nutmeg

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar ( I use Coconut sugar)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup cold butter cut into small pieces

½ cup Crisco

1 cup Old Fashioned oats

½ cup oat bran

¼ cup flax meal

¼ cup Arrowroot flour

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

¼ cup peanut butter morsels

3/4 cup half and half

1 tbsp Maple Syrup

1 tbsp Molasses 
1 medium tart apple, coarsely shredded (optional but keeps them moister for a longer period)

1. Sift together the flour, arrowroot flour,  oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and other spices, sugar, brown sugar and salt. Keep the Old Fashioned oats separate, along with the cranberries, nuts and morsels
2. Rub in the butter and Crisco with your hands  till the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs
3. Mix in the rolled oats, cranberries, nuts and morsels.
4. Add the milk/half and half, shredded apple (if using) molasses and maple syrup and mix together with hands until a soft, dry dough forms. If it feels moist, do not add extra flour, just let it sit for 10-15 minutes and the oats will absorb the extra moisture.
5.  Measure the dough in a ¼ cup measuring cup, roll between hands and form a ball. Flatten between palms as if you were making a hamburger patty (the finished product should be about that size, about 3-4” in diameter). Place “patty” on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
6. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes until browned. Cool on a wire rack. These buns will keep for several days in an airtight container but I also freeze them to maintain freshness as I don't want to eat them every day. Just take out of the freezer the night before. Microwave on low power the next day (in a 1000 Watt power oven, I use 5 minutes at 30% power), wrapped in a damp paper towel until the bun is heated through.