One Bowl Oat Muffins

BEST OF THE TASTY CHEAPSKATE

You know how often muffins are just cupcakes without the frosting. Which is kind of depressing on all counts. Dieters don't want some bald-headed cupcake wrecking their calories and using up their points. And sweets-devotees don't want a bald cupcake because, well, it's bald.

It doesn't help when those little bald sugar bombs are just kind of meh in flavor and texture anyway.

Well, folks, it's your lucky day because today you get a muffin that contains a mere 1/4 C sugar, plus a couple whole grains. But it doesn't announce that fact by being bland and boring. It has the perfect amount of sweetness, a beautiful texture.

They can be made in larger batches and saved or frozen (assuming you don't live in a house with 6 hungry people).

Not only that, but these babies come up to $.10/muffin (take that bald cupcakes).

And they are infinitely adaptable. You can add chocolate chips and coconut (like I did, which, yes, makes them a little less righteous). But you could also add carrots or blueberries or apples or rhubarb or raspberries (making them even more righteous). You could do dark chocolate and strawberries (walking the delicate line of food virtue and vice). Or you can just eat them plain.

And if all that isn't enough, get this--you just stir these with a spoon in ONE bowl. How delightful is that. I mean, in that way they're like a really good friend who can come over and see you in your sweats and still know you're awesome. Yes, my dears, that friend is what these muffins are.

So take 20 minutes and make them.

One Bowl Oat Muffins
adapted from Simple Bites
makes 12 muffins
prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10-12 minutes
Cost: $1.20 (without add ins)
milk: .15, oats: .10, brown sugar: .10, butter: .60, flour: .15, other stuff: .05

1 C milk
1 tsp white vinegar
1 C oats (rolled recommended, but quick work too and are better if you've got a child with a texture aversion)
1 egg
1/4 C brown sugar
1/2 C butter, melted (oil works too, but butter is tastier)
1 C plus 2 Tbsp flour (I use mostly white, but sub in 1/4 C of whole wheat)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
add ins if you choose (we usually go for 1/2 C chocolate chips)

Combine Milk and vinegar (note: If you've got a cup of buttermilk, you can use that in place of the milk and vinegar.) Add oats and let sit for about 5 minutes (with quick oats, you can just give it a quick stir and you're good to go).

Mix in egg. Add brown sugar and melted butter. Mix.

Combine remaining dry ingredients and stir them in just until combined.

Add add ins if using.

Pour into 12 greased or lined muffin tins. Fill 3/4 full. 

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes (slightly longer if you've added fresh fruit as an add in).

Potential add ins:
raspberries
apples
nuts
dried cranberries
blueberries
rhubarb
coconut
dates
carrots
chocolate chips

If you are interested in some amazing flavor combinations (and specific measurements) instead of my lazy-bum suggestions above, check these out. They are from Simple Bites .

ONE-BOWL OATMEAL MUFFINS: FLAVOR COMBINATIONS

• 1 cup Raspberries, fresh or frozen & ½ cup Dark Chocolate, chunked or chips
• ¾ cup Diced Apple (Granny Smith or Russet) and ½ cup toasted Walnuts, roughly chopped
• ¾ cup Dried Cranberries & ½ cup toasted Pecans, roughly chopped
• ¾ cup White Chocolate, chopped or chips & 1 cup Blueberries, fresh or frozen
• ½ cup toasted unsweetened Coconut & ¾ cup Peanut-Butter Chips
• 1 cup diced Rhubarb, fresh or frozen & ½ teaspoon Green Cardamom, freshly ground
• ¾ cup Dates, pitted and chopped & ½ cup Pistachios
• ¾ cup Golden Raisins & ¾ cup grated Carrot