Great Grains Muffins

This month I chose to opt-in to the What's Cooking Blogger's Choice Swap since my world has calmed down a bit.  I was paired up to chose something from Jessica's Blog - My Baking Heart.  I've been following her blog for years and there have been so many things I've wanted to try.  This time though I wanted to make something "functional" because I have no reason to bake the Nutella Tart, Dr Pepper Cake Pops, or Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Hot Fudge Sauce I've had starred in my Google Reader for WAAAY too long!  I mean, I could easily find an excuse to bake something, but I recently put on a few, so I am eating a little more figure friendly at the moment :( .

I've been wanting to make some healthy muffins for quick easy breakfasts, especially for Ty, and when I saw these Great Grains Muffins I knew exactly what I was going to make for this swap!  Now, I'm generally not a huge fan of fruit muffins, except banana nut, but since I was making for a 13-month-old I couldn't really do nut muffins, I decided to go with Blueberries when selecting a dried fruit to add, per the recipe.

I'll be honest with you - until I came home from the hospital with my little 3-day-old guy I'd never liked Blueberry Muffins.  However, my Mother-in-Law so sweetly dropped off a few dinners and some muffins while we were still at the hospital.  I was nursing, exhausted and ravenous so I had a muffin, and then another, and yet another!  Thank goodness they weren't huge!  I now appreciate Blueberry Muffins!

And it appears Ty does as well.  Next time I need to take pictures I'll make sure to do so while he's napping, or screaming from another room that I blocked him in for a few minutes.  Or,  you know, keep the shot out of child level!  But, how can you resist a adorable little guy holding his very first muffin!

Love them he did!  Not only was he chomping away at it (with his "tacos" for dinner - odd combo, I know!), he loved to smush them too.

As someone that doesn't play with my food (as much, hehe!), I can tell you that these muffins are too easy and delicious not to try out.  I mean, who doesn't need a healthy muffin alternative in their back pocket?!  They're full of flavor from the whole-wheat flour and the oats, and the blueberries provide a subtle sweetness.

Great Grains Muffins
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cuo old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 eggs
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup dried fruit (cut up as necessary) and/or chopped nuts, Optional

Directions:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.  Butter or spray muffin tins, or line with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, cornmeal, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl whisk together the buttermilk, syrup, eggs and melted butter.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients, and with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend.  Don't worry about being thorough - if the batter is a bit lumpy that's fine.  Stir in the fruit and nuts (as using).  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin wells.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes.  Carefully lift each muffin out of the well and place directly on the rack to cool.


Source: My Baking Heart and Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours