When morning hits, do you rush to the kitchen for something to eat or are you just rushing to get out the door? I admit there was a time I would always be rushing to get out the door, never leaving myself any time to eat an adequate breakfast. Although I’m still always rushing, thanks to the snooze button, I now always make sure I never leave without a bite to eat.
The importance of breakfast is highly overlooked, and those who skip it happen to be the ones who need it the most. If you’re always waking up groggy and sluggish, a boost of balanced nutrition first thing in the morning will get your engine going and help you be more productive throughout the day. Additionally, those who opt for breakfast tend to make healthier food choices and eat less overall throughout the day, leading to a healthier weight and life.
Despite knowing all the benefits of breakfast, it happens to be the one meal most people still feel okay skipping. This is largely due to the fact that people do not feel like waking up and cooking a meal. If this describes how you feel, please don’t think there aren’t any options. These cherry breakfast muffins are a perfect example of the many ways you can enjoy a healthy bite to eat without making a mess in the kitchen before the sun rises. Breakfast muffins, overnight oats, yogurt parfaits, pre-made, frozen breakfast sandwiches and burritos are all healthy, easy options for breakfast in a hurry, without having to turn to processed, pricey, and typically unhealthy meal replacement shakes.
What I personally love about these cherry muffins is they provide balanced, natural nutrition that’s easy to eat on the go or pack away as a snack. Healthy ingredients like wheat germ, whole-wheat flour, olive oil, and dried cherries allow each muffin to provide a healthy dose of protein (5 g.) and fiber (3 g.), while remaining relatively low in calories (202) and fat (1 g.) than a typical coffee shop muffin. Without losing the great taste of their full fat cousins, these muffins provide enough protein and fiber to keep you full and satisfied.
For those who happen to be a gym rat or fitness enthusiast, you have the option of doing what I do and spiking this recipe with a scoop of protein powder. The addition boosts each muffin to 20 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber, and enough essential nutrients to adequately power a more active lifestyle. If you do elect to utilize this method, keep in mind that the nutritional content of each serving will solely depend on the brand you use. The powder I use is a certified organic, plant-based blend (no whey or soy) that is free from questionable chemicals and unnatural ingredients. It contains 15 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and 1 billion CFU of probiotics per serving.
Whether you choose to nutritionally enhance these muffins with your own protein powder or leave them as is, you can expect them to take about 30 minutes to prepare from start to finish, with approximately 10 minutes of hands on time. This recipe will yield 12 muffins, with each serving consisting of 1 muffin. You may store these muffins in an airtight container for 3 days, in the refrigerator for one week, or in the freezer for 3 months. If you elect to give these muffins a try, I promise they will never disappoint as a delicious, quick and easy breakfast, snack, or dessert!
Cherry Breakfast Muffins
Ingredients:
- 6.75 ounces (1 ½ cups) White Whole-Wheat Flour
- 1 cup Dried Cherries
- ½ cup Toasted Wheat Germ
- ½ cup packed Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ¼ tsp. Ground Allspice
- 1 cup fat-free Milk
- ¼ cup light Olive Oil
- 1 Large Egg
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 400°. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Coat liners with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, cherries, wheat germ, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and allspice. Stir with a whisk until combined, then make a well in the center of the mixture.
- In a small bowl, whisk the milk, oil, and egg together. Pour the milk mixture into the well of the flour mixture and stir until all ingredients are just moistened.
- Divide batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove muffins from the pan and place on the wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Honeybee's Patisserie 