Wholesome Oat Muffins

Have you ever made muffins from scratch and realized that they really should be considered a dessert? Most muffin recipes have way too much sugar for me to serve them for breakfast, until I found this one. This has the added bonus of using oatmeal, which my kids won't eat plain, so I get to sneak some in their diet with these babies. I always double the recipe so I have several bags ready to go in the freezer for busy mornings. I adapted this from the South Beach Diet cookbook.

3/4 cup oats
1 cup buttermilk (I use 1 cup milk soured with 1 Tbsp lemon juice)
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon (okay I really use closer to 1 tsp, we like the stuff)
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (I never do this but I bet it would be good)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, combine oats and the buttermilk. Let soak for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425. Line a muffin pan with baking cups or spray with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and walnuts (if using).

In a large bowl, stir together the oil, egg, brown sugar and vanilla until well blended. Stir in the oat mixture. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 11-15 minutes, or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

These are not healthy. Sorry. But not that sorry.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

*1 1/2 cups flour
*3 tbsp. sugar
*1/2 tsp. salt
*4 tsp. baking powder
*1 tbsp. cinnamon
*2 eggs
*1 cup milk
*2 tbsp. corn syrup
*1/4 cup butter, melted
*1 tbsp. vanilla

In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Whisk together well.

In separate large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, corn syrup, butter and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium/low heat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto griddle. Brown on both sides. Top with maple butter icing.

Maple Butter Icing

*1 cup powdered sugar
*1/4 cup butter, melted
*dash of salt
*1 tbsp. maple syrup
*1/4 cup milk, more if needed

Combine all ingredients. Enjoy.

Vegetable camoflauge

In my ongoing effort to get more vegetables into me and my family, I found this little trick online. Shred a yellow summer squash and cook it up in your scrambled eggs. Yesterday I did 5 eggs and 1 cup shredded squash with a little bit of milk. No one was the wiser and the kids scarfed it down. Next time, I'm adding more squash.

Does that look like vegetables? I don't think so.