Auntie Marcie’s Clementine’s Morning Muffins with Streusel Topping

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Dear Readers,

This recipe appeared in the LA Times on Saturday Feb 8, 2004.  Clementine’s Whole Grain Muffin With Plump Dried Cherries.  The recipe read like a winner and I had to make it with a few changes and leave them for the family since I was going away for 10 days (more on that later*).  I used mixed dried fruit, chopped in the Cuisinart for starters.  Then I made them again.  They are the best muffins I have ever had.  Tasty without being too sweet; textured and full of fiber without being heavy; fragrant and satisfying.  You can toast them, warm them, eat them with cream cheese or other spreads including jams or just plain which is what I prefer.  I have a weak spot for buttermilk recipes and this one hits a bullseye.

Auntie Marcie’s version of Clementine’s Morning Muffins with Streusel Topping ~

  • 1/2 c Dark Brown Demerara sugar, packed
  • 1/2 c soft butter
  • 1 1/2 c oats of your choice  ( see note below )
  • 1/2 t cinnamon

Mix together.  Store in fridge in plastic bag.  It should be clumpy.

Line muffin tins with paper liners.  Spray the liners lightly with Pam

Now for the Muffins ~

  • 2 c oats  (I have used old fashioned oats, gluten free flavored instant oatmeal mix and oat based flourless granola cereal – GREAT results with all – it does not HAVE to be just ‘oats’)
  • 2 1/3 c buttermilk
  • 1/2 c vegetable oil – not olive
  • 2 eggs – separated, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks
  • 1 T vanilla
  • 1 c oat bran
  • 2/3 c flax seed meal
  • 2/3 c stone-ground cornmeal
  • 2/3 c dark brown Demerara sugar – packed
  • 1/4 c sunflower seeds
  • 2 T black sesame seeds
  • 2 t poppy seeds
  • 1 1/2 t. salt
  • 4 t baking powder
  • 1 t baking soda
  • 1 1/2 c chopped dried fruit – I mix the following list, whatever I have on hand put into the Cuisinart, chopped into small bits – apricots, cranberries, cherries, raisins, prunes, dates –

Directions ~

- Heat oven to 375 °. Put the muffin tin liners into the muffin tin and spray them lightly with PAM.

- Combine oats and buttermilk.  Set aside to soak.

- Combine in mixer – eggs yolks, oil and vanilla -Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks

- Whisk together all the other dry ingredients and combine well.
- With mixer running, add the soaked oats to the egg/oil mixture.

- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture
- Fold in the dried fruit.
- Fold in the beaten egg whites

- Fill the muffin tins almost to the top.
- Sprinkle a teaspoon of topping mixture on each muffin.
- Bake 20 – 22  minutes to a golden color.  Test with a toothpick.  Crumbs should be small and lightly cling.  Do not over-bake.

- Cool and become totally addicted like we did…

*Where did I go for 10 days?  To a Board Boot Camp and a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Retreat with Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli) and both were off the charts great.

With love,
Auntie Marcie