Blueberry Orange Muffins

I'm a huge snacker. I'd like to say that it's because I'm healthy and listen to the advice of nutritionists who say it's better to eat throughout the day and to have lots of snacks instead of actual meals, but in reality I just like to eat. And so does my body. If I don't get food every three to four hours, I get hangry (hungry and very angry). So, for everyone's sake, I always have food on me and snack a lot.

In fact, I'm eating pretzels and Nutella as I type this. I think this is my eighth snack of the day? I blame school for this not-so-healthy snack. (A little piece of advice: If you do not need to go to graduate school and are thinking of going back, DON'T. Unless you are prepared to gain five pounds from eating pretzels and Nutella.)

If I wasn't so stinkin' busy this week, I would have made these wonderful, more nutritious than pretzels dipped in Nutella muffins. Whether you are studying for finals or overwhelmed with holiday preparations, these muffins are a healthy breakfast or snack that won't make you feel guilty for eating a few.

These muffins are similar to the usual blueberry muffin, but better. First, these muffins have oats in them. The hearty oats not only give the muffins a wholesome flavor, but they also provide lots of chewy texture. This recipe also calls for orange juice and orange peel. The orange provides a nice hint of citrus flavor that complements the blueberries without overpowering all of the other flavors. Kind of like lemon in sweet tea or a squeeze of lemon juice on fresh vegetables or fish-the citrus flavors are an accent that highlight the blueberries and other delicious ingredients in these muffins without being overwhelming.

Need more reasons to try these muffins? How about they are mixed and ready for the oven in less than ten minutes? And are baked and out of the oven in less than twenty minutes? Yep, healthy and stress free! In fact, I'm screwing on the lid to the Nutella jar right this second and going to whip up a batch of these muffins to have a healthy snack on hand for the rest of this week. Hope you join me!

Blueberry Orange Muffins
(12 muffins)

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup oats (old fashioned or quick oats)
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup fat free milk (or almond milk)
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
optional: 2 tsp grated orange peel

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a regular muffin tin with cooking spray or line with muffin liners.

Mix dry ingredients together (flour through salt). Add remaining ingredients and stir until just incorporated, careful not to over mix. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter.

Spoon muffin batter into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Serve warm, and store any leftover muffins in an airtight container.

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Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 142.9
Total Fat: 5.7 g
Cholesterol: 15.4 mg
Sodium: 67.9 mg
Total Carbs: 22.4 g
Fiber: 1.4 g
Sugars: 7.7 g
Protein: 2.9 g

Pros:
-Delicious variation on a classic blueberry muffin
-Great texture from the oats and flavor from the orange juice and orange peel
-A good breakfast on the go or snack
-Fresh blueberries are ideal, but frozen can be used
-Versatile-try this recipe with fresh strawberries, apples, or other fresh or dried fruits of your choice

Cons:
-Slightly high in fat and calories-you could try using applesauce or yogurt in place of the vegetable oil to reduce this (I have not tried this, so let me know how it works if you do!)

Check out some of the link parties that I shared this recipe on!

I am entering this recipe in the Creative Holiday Recipe Contest hosted by Confessions of a Cookbook Queen and Cookies and Cups! Click here and check out other recipes submitted!