Are you looking for a healthy snack that actually tastes good? These Quinoa oat orange muffins are so good your kids will beg for more. Made with all the best ingredients and flavors in every bite these muffins ar hard to resist (not that you’d want to).
I am always trying to find healthy recipes that actually taste good too so that my kids will actually eat them! I found this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens years ago and made a few minor tweaks to make these muffins even yummier! The orange flavor is fairly subtle, so these muffins go perfectly with any kind of jam. My kids ate the whole batch in less than a day, so I consider this recipe a success!
Quinoa Oat Muffins
These muffins don’t just taste good, but they’re good for you too! Made with whole wheat flour, quinoa, and oats these muffins are packed with healthier fibers and grains. The consistency of these muffins is perfect for a lighter snack or breakfast dish too. Use last night’s leftover cooked quinoa in muffins for breakfast so you don’t waste any of that delicious goodness.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s healthy. Making a healthy dish that everyone (including picky kids) will like can sometimes be challenging but by turning them into a muffin, they not only look enticing but they hold up well to the standards that we set for a muffin.
- They’re easy to make. if you already have cooked and cooled quinoa on hand then this recipe from start to finish is very simple and quick to throw together. These muffins taste incredible when warm too so you won’t want to wait long after they’ve been pulled from the oven before sinking your teeth in for that first bite.
- You can add nuts! If desired feel free to add in about 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts for an even more flavor-packed bite of healthy goodness. Walnuts really help to elevate the muffins in texture and taste but leaving them out (like we do) is perfectly fine too!
Ingredients
Oats: For added texture and fiber use 1 cup of oats in the muffins.
Quinoa: You will need 1 cup of already cooked and cooled quinoa. You can use any color of quinoa, depending on what you have on hand.
Olive oil: Use 1 tablespoon of olive oil for some healthy fats.
Flour: You will need 1 cup of all-purpose flour for the base of the muffin batter.
Whole wheat flour: Adding in 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour will add a little more healthy goodness to these muffins.
Sugar: You only need 1/3 cup of granulated sugar to make the muffins a little sweeter.
Leavening agents: You will need 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to make sure that these muffins puff up and rise perfectly as they bake.
Salt: Add in 1/2 teaspoon of salt to help make the flavors in these muffins really stand out.
Orange: For fresh orange flavor, you will need 1 orange.
Buttermilk: 1/2 cup of buttermilk will moisten the batter perfectly while adding rich flavor to every bite.
Yogurt: You will want to use 1/2 cup of vanilla flavored Greek yogurt, but you can use plain flavored instead. Vanilla just adds a little more flavor to the muffins.
Eggs: Two eggs will help bind the muffins together well for the perfect consistency.
Butter: Add in 3 tablespoons of melted butter for added richness and more fats.
Vanilla: You will need 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to help enhance the flavors in these muffins. The stronger the vanilla extract used, the better the taste.
How to Make Quinoa Oat Orange Muffins
Toast the oats
Place the oats and cooled cooked quinoa into a jelly roll pan that is about 10×15 inches in size. Toss them together to combine.
Add in the olive oil and toss well to coat.
Spread the mixture into an even layer and then bake at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, stirring once about halfway through the cooking time.
Remove from the oven to cool.
Combine dry ingredients
Set aside about 1/4 cup of the oat mixture, and then place the rest into a large bowl.
Add in the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine and then set aside.
Mix wet ingredients
Finely shred the orange peel and then juice the orange to get about 3 tablespoons of juice from it.
Whisk together the orange juice, orange peel, buttermilk, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla in another mixing bowl.
Combine wet and dry
Add your wet ingredients to the dry ones and stir together until just moistened.
Scoop batter
Spoon the batter into prepared muffin pans, filling each muffin cup about 3/4s of the way full.
Sprinkle your reserved oat mixture over the top of each muffin.
Bake
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
QUINOA OAT ORANGE MUFFINS
Ingredients
- 1 cup oats
- 1 cup cooked quinoa cooled
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 orange
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (plain flavor works too)
- 2 eggs
- 3 Tbsp butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Place the oats and cooled cooked quinoa in a jelly roll pan (15X10X1) and toss together. Add the olive oil and toss to coat. Spread in an even layer and bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time. Remove and cool.
- Set aside 1/4 cup of the quinoa/oat mixture and put the rest in a bowl. Add the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Finely shred the orange peel and juice the orange (about 3 Tbsp).
- Whisk together the buttermilk, yogurt, eggs, butter, vanilla, orange juice, and orange peel.
- Add this to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened.
- Spoon the batter into 12 greased muffin cups, filling each three-fourths full.
- Sprinkle the remaining quinoa mixture on top of the muffins.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees and cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
What does quinoa do for you?
Quinoa is known to be a healthier fibrous option compared to many others (like rice). It’s packed with great nutritional benefits including being high in antioxidants. It’s also been shown to help to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels to reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Adding it to your diet can be a great way to make a healthier switch for some of your favorite grains.
Why do we toast the oats and quinoa before use?
By toasting the oats and quinoa before adding them to the batter we can get an added toasty flavor through the muffins that taste incredible in every bite. Not only that but it helps to add a little more of a chewy texture as well as a golden color that looks and tastes appealing.
How long are toasted quinoa and oat muffins good for?
You can keep these muffins stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to about 3 to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the muffins in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 months. Thaw before serving.
Check out these other tasty muffin recipes if you’re looking for something new to try!
- OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
- MUFFIN TIN CINNAMON ROLLS
- PECAN PIE MINI MUFFINS
- LEMON RASPBERRY MUFFINS
- PUMPKIN CORN MUFFINS
- DOUBLE BERRY CHEESECAKE MUFFINS
- COPYCAT COSTCO CHOCOLATE MUFFINS
- LEMON ZUCCHINI MUFFINS
- BROWN BUTTER BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
- BAKERY STYLE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
- UNDER 200 CALORIE DOUBLE FUDGE MUFFINS
- BANANA BREAD MUFFINS
- LEMON POPPY SEED MUFFINS
Made with quinoa oats and whole wheat flour, this Quinoa Oat and Orange Muffins Recipe is a tasty and healthy recipe perfect for any occasion, especially breakfast. Serve yours up with a little jam or orange marmalade and you’re in for a real treat!
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