It's 6:45 and it's still dark, but the day has to come to a rapid begining.

My eyes are still glazed over, the dog's whining to be let out and the kids need to dressed/washed/fed/packed for school. Withing 30 minutes, hats/gloves/boots need to get put on and backpacks have to be zipped. That leaves little time for eggs and bacon, or any sit-down breakfast for that matter. No one is stopping to eat anything.

Ah, morning rush. We all go through it in some way, shape or form. And our family is no exception. My night job at the paper keeps me pretty foggy, but the show must go on. And some people are not getting fed, it appears.

It turns out, my picky eater is having some early afternoon meltdowns, and I partially blame a rushed and unbalanced breakfast, if any at all. So, I preheated the oven and gathered some supplies. It was time to prepare some muffins.

Easy to freeze and a handy on-the-go meal, I find muffins can pack a lot of protein and energy with the right ingredients. I experimented with some basic muffin recipes and added things like gluten free oatmeal by Bob's Red Mill, Smart Balance peanut butter, carrots, bananas, nuts and apples for protein, fiber, vitamins and tons of flavor. Eat them on the go, or enjoy them with coffee after the kids are out the door. Muffins can pack a lot in a little, paper wrapper.

Spend a day making two or three dozen, and you will reap the rewards for weeks to come.

Energy Saver Muffins
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup milk (rice, soy or cow)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cup gluten free flour blend
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup gluten free oats*
1 large ripe banana
1/4 cup gf chocolate chips (we like Enjoy Life)

Mix sugar, applesauce and oil. Add milk, egg, vanilla and peanut butter and blend for 2-3 minutes. Add dry ingredients and continue mixing with stand-up mixer on low or mix with spoon until combined. Smash in banana and roll in chocolate chips. Spoon mixture into tin, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 F or 20-25 minutes. Makes 12-18 muffins.

* Check out The Great Oat Debate for more information on the grain.


Cinnamon Carrot Crunch Muffins
3 tablespoons agave
1 cup gf flour mix
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 small apple, diced
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk (rice, soy or cow)
1/4 cups walnuts, crushed

Mix all ingredients and scoop into prepared muffin tin. Fill each cup 2/3 full and bake 20-25 minutes at 350F. Great with raisins, also.

Blueberry Almond Muffins
(I like to use a mix to save time, but add nuts to pack it with a little more power)
1 box 365 Muffin Mix (Whole Foods), made to directions
1 pint fresh or 2 cups frozen blueberries
1/2 cup slivered almonds, grated in food processor

Fill muffin tins to directions on box. Also great with other berries mixed in or as mini muffins!

Have a great day!