Health-Nut Oatmeal Muffins

I've been working with this recipe from Sugar-Free Mom (that I found on Pinterest) for quite a while now and decided I'd share my tweaks with you all.  She calls them Personal Sized Baked Oatmeal, but I only ever make them as muffins (they make a great snack at work).  Sadly, she takes much better photo's than I do....  The recipe is great as is, but I didn't really like the banana taste and wanted to make it a bit healthier so here's what I've got.  The original recipe is really easy to adapt - so go for it!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of Chia Seeds
1/2 cup of water
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups of applesauce (unsweetened) *I used home-made
**you can add some shredded zucchini if you like, decrease the amount of milk if you do
1/2 cup of honey (I usually use a bit less)
2 cups of rolled oats
2 cups of cooked quinoa *I usually cook mine the night before or use leftovers
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup of flax meal
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 ¾ cups milk
1/2 cup chopped nuts (whatever kind you like)
10-12 oz. dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Mix your chia seeds and water together in a bowl and let sit (stir occasionally so they're evenly soaked).
2. Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, and honey together in a bowl (you would add your shredded zucchini now if you want - I've used frozen & fresh).
3. Add in oats, quinoa, chia seeds, salt, baking powder, flax and cinnamon  - mix well with wet ingredients.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Pour in your milk and mix well to combine everything - don't worry, the batter will look runny.
6. Add in your chopped nuts & chocolate chips (you could also use fresh, frozen, or dried fruit too).
7. Put your cupcake liners in your muffin tin (spray with cooking spray if not using liners). This recipe usually makes about 24-30 muffins.
8. Use a 1/4 measuring cup to fill your muffin cups - they don't raise, so fill them full.
9. Bake for about 32 minutes or so.
10. Cool for about 5 minutes and take out of the pans (I've found that if you let them cool in the pan too much condensation builds up).

I make a batch and keep 5-6 in the fridge for the week (I take them to work for a healthy snack) and freeze the rest, taking out 5 more every Monday morning until they're gone.  Enjoy!  

Muffin (noun)

An individual cup-shaped quick bread made with wheat flour, cornmeal, or the like and baked in a pan (muffin pan) containing a series of cuplike forms