Marvelous Muffins

I am not a big baker.
I do not bake because when I do, I tend to eat the whole batch of warm whatever-it-is and wind up with a serious tummy ache. A fresh, chewy cookie or muffin is my absolute undoing, so I don’t often offer myself the temptation. However, two things happened over the past week: I completed a major project at work (therefore I needed a reward) and I found this very healthy recipe for orange-blueberry muffins. At first I was skeptical that they would be delicious and satisfying, but they delivered the goods, with tons of fruit and fiber to boot! I hate to use the term “guilt-free” when it comes to food because that emotion should never be associated with eating, ever, but why not? I’m gonna say it! These are hip-friendly, tummy lovin’ muffins…and I ate three when they came out of the oven!

Ingredients
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup olive oil or butter
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
2 Tbs. Tahini
Grated zest of 1 organic, un-waxed orange
2 cups whole grain flour (spelt, kamut, or whole wheat)
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
nut or seed of your choice (optional)
--> pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts etc.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil a 12-cup muffin pan.
2. Put the orange juice, oil, syrup, tahini, and orange zest into a medium bowl and whisk until well combined.
3. Mix the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl until well combined. Add the orange juice mixture and combine, using as few strokes as possible so you do not over mix the batter. Fold in the blueberries.
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each approximately 3/4 full. Sprinkle with nuts or seeds. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (about 20-25 minutes). Let the muffins cool before removing them from the pan.
Or, do what I do: take a spoon and desperately dig them out like a complete maniac.

These muffins freeze beautifully. Eat half while they are still warm (you think I’m joking?), and once cooled, put the others in a thick plastic bag in the freezer. Take one out in the morning and put it in your bag for an afternoon snack at work. You will thank yourself for being so prepared and healthy!

This recipe comes from one of the best cookbooks I have ever read. It's called "Enlightened Eating" by Caroline Dupont. Pick up a copy, find food nirvana.