Breakfast muffins - the healthy way

Until recently, if somebody had offered me a "breakfast muffin", I'd have held out my hand and expected a Sausage & Egg McMuffin from that fast food place with the golden arches. I was looking for a new muffin recipe to try when I stumbled across one that is energy boosting and perfect for breakfast or a mid morning snack, hence it being called a Breakfast Muffin. As I read through the ingredients I was excited to see that no butter or sugar was needed, and was packed with healthier things like apricots and muesli. As I am back on the healthy eating bandwagon, I couldn't wait to try it! I know I'm not the only one trying to eat right at the moment, so I hope this recipe helps some of you :)

Makes 12

Ingredients

170g dried apricots, coarsely chopped

170g unsweetened muesli

250g self raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

250ml unsweetened apple juice

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

100ml honey

1 large egg

Method - so easy!

1. Preheat oven to 190c and line a 12 hole muffin tin with cases

2. Put the apricots, muesli, flour and baking powder in a bowl and stir.

3. In a jug, mix together the apple juice, honey, oil and egg.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently to incorporate. Make sure you do not overmix.

5. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases. My cases are quite big and I filled mine to about 2/3 full.

6. Put the tray in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.

7. You know the drill, if they are golden brown and spring back when touched, or you insert a skewer and it comes out clean, they are done.

8. Transfer to a wire rack to cool then store in an airtight container. I'd keep for 3-4 days maximum.

A few quick tips;

• The recipe calls for unsweetened muesli and unsweetened apple juice. This is imperative from a taste point of view, as the apricots add more than enough sweetness to the cakes. From a healthy point of view, it's less sugar to contend with.
• The mixture will be very runny, so don't be alarmed.
• Chop the apricots as small as you can. Mine are a bit too chunky for my liking, which is why it looks a bit gooey in the picture below. It tastes fine though.
• I used a 'Really Nutty' variety of Dorset Cereals muesli, but when making these again I would add more nuts, such as pecans and almonds, so they have more of a bite to them. The recipe doesn't call for nuts though, so if you're not a fan, don't feel like they're necessary.
• I think the apricots can be substituted with figs and dates if you'd rather a less sweet taste. 

 

Now, these did not smell very appetising when I pulled them out of the oven, and unlike most muffins, they didn't taste better oven-warm either. Don't let that put you off though - wait until breakfast time the following morning, and enjoy with a big cup of tea. They are sweet, moist, slightly chewy and slightly sticky, so it feels really naughty and indulgent having one for breakfast. Because they are packed with good, filling things, one of these and a bit of fruit fills me right up until lunchtime, so I'm not snacking on toast dripping in real butter come mid-morning!

There are about 200 calories in each muffin (more if you add nuts) but there's less than 5g fat and only 0.6g of saturated fat, so they are good calories. I know I'd much rather eat one of these for breakfast than a bowl of soggy, sugary cereal for the same calorie content, then be reaching for the calorie-laden toast at 11am.

What are your favourite healthy breakfasts? I'd love to know!

xoxo