Here Goes Nothin'....Or Maybe Something

I have been making all kinds of muffins for the past year(ish), but this one particular whole wheat breakfast muffin is still my go-to. Not to say I don't really like others, but I have this recipe memorized, it's versatile, and it's quite healthy. 30 minutes from start to finish once you get the hang of things (but after those 30 minutes you will still have to clean the muffin tin....if I had twitter I would say #worstpartofmakingmuffins....and by the way, that's called a pound sign, not a hashtag.). Anyway, that's enough about twitter and not enough about these great muffins!

The recipe is as follow:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup "old fashion" oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• 1/4 cup canola oil (or favorite to bake with)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 chopped pecans

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together all dry ingredients in a medium bowl, add to that the oil, egg, and milk (you can mix the wet ingredients together first if you'd prefer...sometimes I do). Once almost combined toss in the chocolate chips, cranberries, and pecans. Fold in until just combined. The last 3 ingredients are optional, but you certainly want to add in something. I've done everything from fresh berries to dried fruit to nuts to coconut flakes, etc. Grease muffin tin if you are not using muffin cups. Split evenly among 12 muffin cups. Bake 12 - 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool a few minutes in the muffin tin and then remove to a cooling rack.

Easy, quick, healthy, yummy. Great for breakfast or an afternoon snack!

Here is the nutritional analysis per muffin:

• Calories - 212
• Protein - 4.5 grams
• Carbohydrates - 27 grams
•  Fat - 9.5 grams
• Sugars - 12.5 grams
• Fiber - 3.5 grams

This analysis was for the exact recipe I showed you. Meaning - if you wanted to get the sugar down a bit it would be very easy to do. I don't generally add all of these things. You could take out the cranberries (not the chocolate!) or even cut the sugar to 1/3 cup and add an overripe banana. You could also cut the sugar to 1/3, eliminate the oil completely, and add 2 overripe bananas. I've messed around with this recipe a lot and they have always turned out good. I suppose if you really have to you could take out the chocolate.....fresh fruit alone is also delicious in these.

Experiment! : )

P.S. I somehow do not have a picture of these muffins....but in the end I suppose they look like most of the other whole wheat muffins I have posted.