One item I've had good luck with making ahead is the breakfast muffin. I'm not talking about those muffins you see in the stores, all greasy and under plastic. This is the good stuff, packed with nutrients to get you going for the day ahead.
In today's recipe, I'm pulling in all of my favorite power flavors. I always have pumpkin seeds in my granola -- and we've talked about how many ways there are to cook with pumpkin seeds -- so I'm throwing those healthy seeds (anti-inflammatory and full of minerals) in with some fresh olive oil (lowers risk of heart disease) and prunes (potassium and fiber), all while trying to keep these low on sugar or other unnecessary ingredients.
These are EASY to make. You can have them done, start to finish, in an hour. They also travel well for breakfast on-the-go; I actually just took them on a long hike and was grateful for the mid-route boost.
Plum Pumpkin Healthy Breakfast Muffins
Makes 12 muffins.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (I like Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain flour)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups quick-cook oats
- 1/2 cup prunes, diced
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup soy milk (or milk alternative)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup boiling water
Preparation:
Use a whisk to gently combine flour, sugars, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in oats, prunes, and pumpkin seeds.
In a separate bowl, combine milk, oil, vanilla, and egg. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in boiling water. Allow batter to sit for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375F. Coat muffin tins with cooking spray, or use paper liners.
Spoon batter into tins and bake for 20 minutes, until tops are browned. Remove muffins from tins when warm to avoid sticking.
These go swimmingly with a steaming hot cup of Earl Grey black tea and a good book or nice conversation. And as I also mentioned earlier, these are great for on-the-go snacks like hikes or in between back-to-back meetings.
