Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

In baking, you will invariably come across recipes that at first glance will perfectly suit your tastes, then upon tasting them you will hate it.  I've found one of those recipes, at least for me.  Don't let me discourage you, my dad liked these muffins, so obviously it's not a complete failure.

If you love blueberry muffins, yet want to eat healthier, this is the recipe for you.  While the typical box recipe has tons of sugar and sodium, you can avoid that and make your own from scratch with healthy substitutes for unhealthy ingredients.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups oats

1 cup milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 egg whites

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (all-purpose is just fine)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup blueberries

Instructions

Measure out the oats, then combine them with the milk in a large bowl.  After mixing gently, allow to sit for 30 minutes.

In another large bowl, measure out the brown sugar, unsweetened applesauce, egg whites, oil, and vanilla extract.  Stir with a whisk to thoroughly blend the ingredients together.  In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

After the thirty minutes, add the oats and milk to the wet ingredients and stir.  Gradually add the dry ingredients, stirring carefully to keep the mix in the bowl.

Add the blueberries, gently folding them into the mixture and distributing them evenly.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and prepare a muffin pan with non-stick spray or muffin cups.  Fill the muffin cups / tins about three fourths of the way, then bake for 20 to 22 minutes.  You should be able to stick a toothpick in and have it come out clean when they are done.

Notes
Now I will explain why I didn't like the muffins.  They seemed to have an odd, kind of rubbery, texture to me, which I attributed to the applesauce and milk-soaked oats.  The tastes didn't bother me, but I can't handle some textures.

Despite my distaste for them, I'm sure others would like them!  They are a healthy alternative to and unhealthy yet delicious food, and are an easy breakfast option for busy people who are always on the go.