As we kick off the New Year, the common theme is that hopefully, 2022 will be a much better year!  I know I am looking at 2022 as a New Year and a New Me.  Ok, it’s the same thing as in years past:  lose weight, get in shape and re-organize my house!  So, as a first step on the first day, I decided to bake muffins albeit the healthier yet tasty muffins.  These are not your giant super sweet (300+ calories) muffins.   These Oatmeal Muffins are only

140 calories and they have the good fiber so sneaky you don’t know it’s there. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/22458/easy-oatmeal-muffins/

I pretty much followed this recipe with the following tweaks:   cut the salt to a heaping ¼ teaspoon (I have to watch my sodium) and added a few cracks of pink sea salt to the oatmeal soaking.  I also, like to use an extra egg when baking as I think they bake up better and it adds protein.  As I used the organic granulated cane sugar which is not as fine as white sugar, I used a heaping ¼ cup sugar (closer to 1/3 cup).  More importantly, I added a few sprinkles of cinnamon (probably ¼ teaspoon) and a few splashes of vanilla flavoring (1/2 teaspoon).  I did this as I have made these before and, as we all know, oatmeal can be a bit bland.  I don’t think I bake anything without adding vanilla flavoring.

Extra Optional Ingredients:

• Cinnamon
• Extra Egg
• Organic Granulated Cane Sugar
• Sea Salt
• Vanilla Flavoring

These muffins baked up nicely, that said, they are more like a bread than the usual “cake” muffins.  Think about how a savory, cornmeal muffin tastes – which is very good but not necessarily like dessert.  This a basic muffin that you can serve for breakfast or snacks.  This is especially great for folks who do not like an overly sweet bread – it is more satisfying when you are hungry.  Guess what – you don’t know there is oatmeal inside!!  And by basic, the real beauty of this recipe is that you can customize to your tastes!  Add in some blueberries or cranberries. Hint: toss fruit with a bit of flour to keep it from sinking and if they are tart, I would add a bit of sugar to that flour mix!  I have made these with chocolate chips and my son and I loved them.  So… think of this as a blank canvas for your favorite flavors.  Just not lemon!  I tried adding lemon juice and zest and I didn’t think the lemon worked with the oatmeal.  A great serving idea is that you can bake these and serve hot with some delicious butter and jam! They would also be tasty with some type of spread like cream cheese slathered in the middle.

I like this basic recipe because I have been reading the Zero Sugar Diet by David Zinczenko and he says your body knows and will process food with sugar AND fiber different from just sugary foods and even a low-calorie, no real sugar food or drink.  Yep, read that again!  Actually, better yet, read his book especially if you like to eat, dislike fake sugars or have other dietary issues.  He also points out that folks should understand and steer away from items with ADDED sugars like certain spaghetti sauces and salad dressings.  Specifically stay away from foods where the sugar is hidden or disguised with words like fructose and sucrose.  Fruit has fructose and that is ok in moderation.

Just like Dr. Oz says if you only make one change in your diet, add in a cup of green tea, Zinczenko says even if you only make one dietary change, add in more fiber!  We should clarify, that fiber comes in both soluble and insoluble.  The solubility of fiber refers to its ability to dissolve in water.  Based on this, fiber has often been categorized as either soluble or insoluble:

• Soluble fiber blends with water in the gut, forming a gel-like substance. It can reduce blood sugar spikes, and has various metabolic health benefits (4Trusted Source).
• Insoluble fiber does not blend with the water and passes through the digestive system mostly intact. It functions mostly as a “bulking” agent, and may help speed the passage of food and waste through your gut.  (HEALTHLINE  see link below)

Oats are high in soluble fiber, making oat cereals a better choice than bran for this particular dietary component.  So these oatmeal muffins are also good for the person who is tired of eating a bowl of oatmeal or just dislikes it.

References:

Zero Sugar Diet: The 14-Day Plan to Flatten Your Belly, Crush Cravings, and Help Keep You Lean for Life. By David Zinczenko

Fiber Information: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/different-types-of-fiber#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3