Oatmeal and Buttermilk Muffins

Super yummy and health for breakfast. You can even prepare it a day or two in advance and pop it in the oven on a busy morning before going to work.

Makes 12 muffins:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup buttermilk (if you can't find buttermilk, you can substitute this with 1 cup milk and 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice and let stand for 10 minutes)

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed firmly

1 egg

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1/4 cup walnuts or raisins (optional)

1. In a bowl, combine the oats and buttermilk and leave to soak for 1 hour (I leave mine for 45 minutes)

2. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan

3. Preheat the oven 400F

4. With an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy

5. Beat in the egg

6. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt

7. Stir into the butter mixture, alternate with the oat mixture. Fold in the raisins/ walnuts. Do not overmix.

8. Flll the prepared cups 2/3 full.

9. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean, around 20 to 25 minutes.

10. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Yogurt Honey Muffins

BAKING! I realized that I have been baking since I was 15 years old! Judging by the recipes that I have in my parents house and the loads of baking materials that are kept in the cabinets... unused of course, I've been baking inedible cookies and breads half of my life already. :-)

I've been experimenting with different cookies and muffins lately. Some successful, some of them met my trash can early enough. One of my favorites is the Yogurt Honey Muffins I made a couple of weeks ago. They are soft inside and healthy. You can make them into big muffins or make loads of mini muffins. Plus, you can put cream cheese (not the healthiest but completely yummy!) and some marmalade to make it the perfect breakfast or snack.

Got this recipe from an old recipe book I have given by my friend Yannie.

Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients:
4 tbsps butter
5 tbsps thin honey
1 cup plain yogurt
1 large egg, at room temperature
grated rind of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsps. baking soda
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

Procedure:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375F. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or use paper liners. (I used paper liners but when I bake these again, I will just grease the pan and flour it a bit.)
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter and honey. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, egg, lemon rind and juice. Add the butter and honey mixture. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. (Whole wheat flour can't be sifted well, I just make sure that other than the wheat, all lumps are crushed).
5. Fold the dry ingredients into the yogurt mixture just to blend. Don't overmix.
6. Fill the prepared cups 2/3 full. Bake until the tops spring back when touched lightly, 20-25 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before unmolding. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: if you are using a 6 muffin pan, bake for 10 to 15 minutes. For mini muffin pans, 5 to 8 minutes.