When I woke up this morning and was deciding what to have for breakfast I realized I was craving a Maine blueberry muffin. If you’ve never had wild Maine blueberries, I’d like to suggest you pick up a bag of Wyman’s frozen Maine blueberries. This small, plump berry is packed with flavor and powerful antioxidants.
I’m not talking about the larger blueberries you can find fresh in grocery stores around the country and you can pick from a high bush. I’m talking about the low bush Maine blueberry which has a very short growing season and picking can be hot, buggy and back breaking. Many people rake the berries, homegrown pickers like to kneel down in the field and pick by hand. It’s tough work raking or picking enough of these tiny berries to make a pint or a quart.
Many of my friends in Maine have fond memories of picking berries at their families secret location. A beautiful place where the blueberry fields seem to go on forever. They’d eat as many as they could while in the fields and bring along pails to fill with this delectable treat – which – they would bring home for making pies, cakes, muffins and cobblers.
The uses for Maine blueberries are endless. Today they are added to salads, smoothies, dried or covered in dark chocolate. The uses go on and on since the news got out about the antioxidant benefits of blueberries. People are always looking for ways to incorporate them into their diets.
Back to my muffin craving. I realized I had not gone to the grocery store for a few weeks. It’s summer and my garden is overflowing with produce. Along with the fresh vegetables, I thought I had enough staples on hand to keep my family fed for a few weeks. Well, I thought wrong. The only grain I had was approximately a 1/2 cup of oatmeal. I scoured the pantry and fridge and grabbed what I had on hand – chia seeds, a banana, one carrot, about a cup of Maine blueberries and an apple. I didn’t know exactly how I would make the muffins I was craving. I took a moment and thought it over. Here is what I came up with and I have to say they are really delicious.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
I ate them all and did not feel guilty!
Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins (makes 9)
- Pre-heat oven to 350
- Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non stick spray (fill 3 of the cups 1/2 way with water)
- In a large bowl mash one large banana
- Stir in 1/2 cup oats
Add:
- 1 small carrot grated
- 1/2 medium apple chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or your favorite nut (omit if nut allergy)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Mix well:
- Gently stir in 2/3 cup blueberries (defrosted and patted dry if frozen). Mixture will seem slightly wet
- Add 1 TBS chia seeds or flax meal and stir to incorporate
- Fill muffin tins half way with the oat mixture
- Place in hot oven and cook 15-20 minutes until browned on edges
Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving
These are delicious alone or with a cup of herbal tea!