PARTNER POST: Discover how delicious dairy-free sweet and savory cooking can be with DREAM Ultimate Almond.
Loaded with plump, fresh blueberries, oats, and cinnamon, these vegan almond muffins are just what your summer mornings are calling for.
Jersey fresh blueberries just kicked off their season, and I’ve been gobbling up as many as I can get my grubby little paws on. Because of the exceptionally cool and rainy May we had, this year’s crop is plumper, juicier and sweeter than ever. Perfect for snacking, and even better for tucking into your favorite baked goods.
Have you ever tried baked oatmeal before? It’s become a staple in our household. It’s simply oatmeal mixed up with milk, brown sugar, eggs and baked with whatever fruit, nuts and spices you fancy. It’s great served warm, eaten like a dense breakfast cake or muffin (aka, with your hands), or served in a bowl, with a splash of your favorite milk and eaten with a spoon. My favorite milk of the moment? It is definitely Dream Ultimate Almond.
Unlike the usual almond beverages on the market that are watery and bland, Dream Ultimate Almond is made with four times more California almonds in every cup, and you can definitely taste the difference. It’s super rich and creamy, not to mention packed with 5 grams of natural protein from almonds.
Baked oatmeal is a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition. It’s typically made in a pan and cut into squares, but I opted to make little individual portions using mini muffin tins. They’re perfect for taking breakfast on the go, and unlike muffins – which are essentially cake – these babies are packed with fiber, protein, nutrients and happen to be completely dairy and gluten free. You can even go a step further and substitute a flax or chia egg for the real eggs if you’d like to make this totally vegan. It’s a very forgiving recipe.
If you can’t find beautiful, plump local blueberries, this recipe would work nicely with raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and even peaches or plums. Your best bet is always to use the freshest, ripest and sweetest fruit you can find. You can also try switching up the vanilla extract for almond extract to get an even bigger boost of almondy goodness.
What makes these little baked oatmeal cups even better is that they freeze up beautifully. So you can make up a big batch on a rainy day and have them ready to eat all summer long. Just pop one in the toaster oven for a few minutes, and be on your way. Less time making breakfast means more time for sun basking and ice cream eating, two things we all need to do a little more of for the next three months.
The new DREAM Ultimate Almond beverage can be found now at Whole Foods and soon at your local Sprouts. Click here for a coupon.
For more inspiration, check out this grilled Caesar salad with a dairy-free dressing:
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- Yield: 24 muffins 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted, plus more for greasing pans)
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups Dream Vanilla Ultimate Almond
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 cup sliced almonds (toasted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease the insides of two 12-cup mini muffin tins, then set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs and melted coconut oil. Add the oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, Dream Vanilla Ultimate Almond Milk, and vanilla extract, then whisk until combined. Stir in the blueberries and half of the almonds.
- Divide the batter evenly amongst the two muffin tins, then top each with the remaining sliced almonds, slightly pressing them into the batter. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until browned on the outside and just set on the inside. Allow to cool in the tins, then use a spoon to carefully remove each one. Serve as is, or with a splash of Dream Vanilla Ultimate Almond Milk.
Notes
Notes: Leftovers can be frozen in a zip top bag and reheated in the toaster oven for a quick and easy breakfast on the go.
- Category: Baking