Pineapple Sunshine Muffins

This is the first muffin recipe that i have invented completely on my own. Well, i kinda used the Lemon Blueberry Muffin recipe as my base, then changed it up a lot. I am thrilled to say that it turned out super awesome. Replace "thrilled" with "relieved" to make that more accurate. Anyways.


Now that the school year is starting, i have to eat on the go a lot. I'm usually on campus when it's time for my afternoon snack (yes, i am in kindergarten), and it's really important to me that i have a healthy, filling snack midday to keep my energy and metabolism up. Hitting the vending machine or local snack shop is NOT an option. Who knows how many calories are in those things.

These muffins have everything that your mama would want you to be eating (e.g. oatmeal, flax seed, yogurt, pineapple), and the recipe literally calls for NO oil, NO butter, NO shortening. I calculated them to be 100.17 kcals a muffin. But let's say it's 100 calories, cuz you'll probably burn off 0.17 while going to the kitchen and reaching for a muffin.


But seriously, it tastes amazing. If you don't believe me, come see me, and i'll shove one of these muffins in your mouth so you can see for yourself.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp flax seed
1 cup crushed pineapple (save 1/4 cup of that for top)
3/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 egg
2 tbsp sugar

Before we start, let me introduce you to what is probably a new friend to you. It was a new friend to me. This is Flax Seed.


It's found in the flour/sugar aisle at the supermarket. You've probably heard of it, but not very many normal people (much less, grad students) use it in their cooking regularly. I had seen my roommate put some in her protein drinks, so i thought i'd try it out and incorporate it into my baking.


Turns out, flax seed is an oil replacer! You can replace 1 tbsp of oil with 3 tbsp flax seed. I am not that smart, i just read it on the box. It has these natural oils in it that makes it an oil replacement, and it also packs a crazy amount of fiber (stay fuller longer!).

Okay, shall we start?

1. Add dry ingredients to one bowl. This includes flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, baking soda, flax seed.


2. Add the wet ingredients in another bowl. This includes the crushed pineapple (save 1/4 cup of it!), yogurt, and egg.


This is the crushed pineapple i used.


I didn't drain it or anything, the liquid helps make the muffins moist. moist. moist. moist. (how i met your mother is a great show, you need to watch it).


3. Mix the two mixes together!

4. Preheat oven to 400F. Put mix into 12 muffin cups.


5. Top each one with that saved pineapple.



6. Bake for about 20 minutes or until center is not doughy.



Mmmm. Isn't this a nice 100 calorie snack?


The extra pineapple on top is definitely worth it. It's a little hint of citrusy sweetness that you get when you take the first bite. Here, i split one open to show you what the inside looks like.


It's not too sweet like those store-bought granola bars, and it's certainly better for you than those mini-muffins. And no preservatives. You can store these in individual bags and take them to go.


Whether it's a little pick-me-up after hitting the gym, after an unproductive meeting at work, or after syntax class has zapped your brain---this little guy can certainly give you the boost you need to survive the rest of your day.


Enjoy!!  And tell me what you think by writing in the comments (i LIVE off comments, i love every single one and i'll always write back)!