Recipe: Banana Oatmeal Muffins (using whole wheat flour, buttermilk and applesauce)

BANANA OATMEAL MUFFINS

1 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats, not quick-cooking
1 cup 1% or fat-free buttermilk
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup mashed ripe banana, 2 or 3 bananas
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In large mixing bowl, combine oats and buttermilk and set aside for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Drop foil liners into a 12-cavity muffin tin with 3-inch cups. Coat inside of liners generously with cooking spray and set aside. Or, spray muffin tin without using liners; this produces muffins with a chewier crust.

In small bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Break egg into bowl with soaked oats and beat it lightly with fork, then mix it in. Add applesauce, banana and sugar, and whisk until wet ingredients are well blended. Add dry ingredients, whisking just until they are combined: over mixing makes muffins tough. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle walnuts over top of muffins.

Bake 20 minutes, or until bamboo skewer inserted into center of muffin comes out clean. Let sit for 3 minutes, then turn the muffins out onto wire rack and cool for 15 minutes. (If not using liners, run a thin knife around between muffins and pan before turning them out.) Serve warm.

Makes 12 muffins

Per muffin: 180 calories, 4.5 g total fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 30 g carbohydrate, 5 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 180 mg sodium

Source: Dana Jacobi for the American Institute for Cancer Research