Blackberry Clementine Oatmeal Muffins

I wish I were a morning person. There is something extravagant about the quiet moments before most of the world wakes up - stealing them all for yourself, pretending you are all alone. That's the introvert in me, I suppose.

Buuuutttt.... the introvert half of me sleeps late and walks in to work five minutes after the hour. Routinely.

(We can't be winners all of the time.)

This recipe might make up for some of that non-winnerness, though. I made a variety of different oatmeal muffins a few weeks back using the same clementine-bannana base.... some with fresh blackberry, some chocolate chip, toasted coconut and walnut, raisin and dried dates. Hands down, the blackberry ones were our favorite. (Well.. and the chocolate chip ones.. always chocolate).

Blackberry Clementine

Oatmeal Muffins

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 30 min

Yield: 18 muffins

INGREDIENTS:

1 small clementine (whole)

2 ripe bananas

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup honey

5 cups old fashioned rolled oats

2 tablespoons flaxseed meal

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2¼ cups almond milk

36 fresh blackberries

Cupcake liners

Non-stick spray

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Chop clementine into quarters (skin and all) and puree in a high power blender or food processor.

3. Mash bananas in a large bowl. Mix in the pureed clementine, eggs, vanilla, and honey.

4. Add oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to the bowl and mix well with wet ingredients.

5. Pour in milk and combine.

6. Line muffin tin with paper liners and spray each with cooking spray.

7. Push two blackberries into each muffin.

8. Bake muffins for 30 minutes and cool before serving.

Once cooled to room temperature, muffins may be frozen in gallon-sized bags.  Then, defrost them overnight in the refrigerator or microwave for 1-2 minutes. Enjoy a healthy breakfast on the go!

NUTRITION INFORMATION (per serving, 2 muffins):

Calories 301, Total Fat 5.7 g, Cholesterol 41 mg, Sodium: 476 mg, Protein 8.1 g, Fiber 7.2 g

This "batter" has the best orangey flavor. I used one small clementine (of the Halo variety), but would have used two if I'd had another in the house. If you want, substitute one of the bananas for a second small clementine... I bet that would be awesome. Now, these muffins may or may not get me out of bed a bit earlier, but either way, I can pull one from the freezer as I rush out the door. And I don't have to sacrifice breakfast to make it to work on time!

Please let me know how yours turn out if you try them!