Eggless Oatmeal Muffins From Scratch

This post is less about my eternal quest for delicious wholesome snacks for my girls and more about a revelation I had when I found out I was out of eggs midway through the making of a batch of oatmeal muffins.  

In fact, like many things I make in the kitchen, I didn't take any pictures of the process of making these simple oatmeal muffins.  My girls were due home in less than an hour, and is usually the case, I was simply trying to knock these out before they turned into little cranky snack-less monsters.  

Half way through making these I discovered that the sole egg that I thought was in the fridge was actually not there.  I have a friend who can't eat eggs right now because her six month old baby is allergic and I recall reading about egg substitutes in baking.  I knew flax seeds were a replacement, but I hadn't tried this before.  Well, before this batch of muffins, that is.  

I discovered that if you grind 1 tablespoon of flax seeds in a coffee grinder and then add 3 tablespoons of water, the gelatinous-y goop that results in a perfectly good substitute for one egg.  Not to mention a big boost of omega-3s!

Both girls gobbled these up (one even asking for a second) and thusly avoided any sort of witching hour today.  In my book, that's reason to celebrate.  And to make sure I make these again in the very near future!

Oatmeal Muffins

adapted from the Better Homes and Garden cookbook

yield:  12 muffins

1 1/3 cups of flour

3/4 cups of oats

1/3 cup of sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground flax seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons of water

3/4 cups of milk

1/4 cup cooking oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Grease and flour a muffin tin.  

In a large bowl, mix the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Create a well in the center for the wet ingredients.

In a separate bowl, mix the flax seeds mixture, milk and oil.  Quickly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix sparingly -- until the batter just comes together.  If you over mix you'll end up with some nice hockey pucks.  

Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.