Oat and Flaxseed Muffins with Cherries

These muffins are the perfect breakfast snack. I usually eat one first thing in the morning with a cup of tea prior to a run.They are great for a post-workout snack too.

I first made a batch with added brown sugar and an egg - traditional muffin ingredients. Whilst these muffins were moist, sweet and delicious, I thought they were too sweet for a breakfast food/snack so I replaced the sugar with just 1 tablespoon of agave nectar (sweeter than sugar) and used some bean liquid (aquafaba) as an egg replacement - making them cholesterol free!

As I'm always eating beans, in hummus or in salads, I have plenty of left-over bean liquid, whether they are chickpeas, pinto, red kidney, black, butter or cannellini beans.

By cutting out the 50g sugar (which equals 187 calories, 12tsp sugar) and substituting for 20g/1tbsp agave nectar or honey (which equals 60 calories, 4tsp sugar), they are just as sweet! The natural sugars from the fresh cherries and the applesauce, combined with the cinnamon, are a delicious and nutritious way to start the day!

To concentrate the flavour of the cherries, and to prevent excess moisture from leaking into the muffins, I roasted the cherries for 10 minutes and then coated them in cinnamon. In my first batch, I didn't bother doing this and just mixed fresh cherries and cinnamon into the muffin batter. I prefer the roasting option if I have time but it's not the end of the world, and the muffins didn't taste too 'wet'.

Oat and Flaxseed Muffins with Cherries
Makes 12

Ingredients:
- 225g / 8oz cherries
- 1tsp cinnamon
- 225g / 8oz oats
- 120g /4oz flour
- 40g / 6tbsp flaxseed meal
- 1tsp baking soda
- 240ml / 8floz buttermilk (240ml / 8floz almond milk and 15ml / 1tbsp lemon juice)
- 45ml / 3tbsp bean liquid (I use chickpea or pinto beans)
- 112g / 4oz applesauce, unsweetened
- 20g / 1tbsp agave nectar OR honey
- 5ml / 1tsp vanilla extract

Method:

• First, pit and quarter the cherries and then bake, cut side up, at 220C / 425F for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl.
• Sprinkle the roasted cherries with the cinnamon and stir to coat.
• In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (oats, flour, flaxseed, and baking soda).
• In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, bean liquid, applesauce, agave nectar and vanilla.
• Pour the wet mixture into the large bowl and stir everything together.
• Gently stir in the cinnamon cherries.
• Spoon the mixture into muffin cases.
• Bake in the oven at 175C / 350F for 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information: