Berry Burst Muffins

Kid-approved? You bet!  Simple to make? Check!   Delicious and Moist? Also check.  With a growing little lady (and a growing belly), I am all about having handy, home-made snacks available as often as I can, and to have stocked in the freezer.  Knowing how much my little one loves my Banana Muffins and berries, I decided to put some wonderful ideas into action!

Ingredients:

• 1½ Cups Frozen Berries, thawed (juices reserved)**
• 1½ Cups + 4-5 Tbsp Oats
• 1 Cup Milk
• 1½ Cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
• ½ Cup Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• ¾ Cups Maple Syrup (or honey)
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp Vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl combine the berries and their juices, 1½ Cups of oats, and milk. Stir to combine and leave aside while you mix the remaining ingredients.
3. In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and ground cinnamon. Stir to combine
4. In a small bowl (or large liquid measuring cup), lightly whisk the egg.  Add the melted butter with the maple syrup and vanilla and whisk all ingredients together.
5. Add the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture. Stir to combine.
6. Add the oat and berry mixture to the bowl and combine, stirring all ingredients together well, making sure to get to the bottom of the bowl!
7. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, about ¾ full, and sprinkle each with a few oats.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Check with a toothpick to ensure fully cooked through.
9. Makes 20-22 muffins

** You could TOTALLY use fresh berries with this recipe, however, I may suggest mashing the blueberries, raspberries and blackberries with the back of a fork or potato masher to release some of the juices.