I had a carton of buttermilk kicking around in my fridge. I’m not in the habit of drinking it straight up so I decided to make some buttermilk muffins and freeze them.
I love using buttermilk. It’s a rich wholesome ingredient. Buttermilk is lower in fat than regular milk. The fat has been removed to make butter. It is also high in potassium, vitamin B12, calcium, and riboflavin as well as a good source of phosphorus. It not only makes whatever you use it for taste with the comfort of home, but it also adds the healthful properties including the good kind of bacteria.
Here are some healthy things these bacteria are said to do to your body: manufacture vitamins, improve digestion, boost immunity, manufacture nutrients, protect against cardiovascular diseases, protect against carcinogens. Buttermilk is the fermentation of milk by a culture lactic acid-producing Streptococcus lactis plus Leuconostoc citrovorum which converts lactic acid to aldehydes and ketones which gives it its flavor and aroma. Ahem…ok…now that we have the science out of the way, let’s get to the good stuff.
I was in a lazy mood the night I conjured this muffin recipe up. I just felt like a little something something. I didn’t want to go through a big baking effort and clean up. So one bowl does it with these. I happened to have some frozen wild blueberries. The season for the fresh ones is fast approaching. So I would go ahead and take advantage of those. Pistachios add a nice bite and texture. Microplaned lemon rind adds a fresh zip to the mixture. The sprinkling of organic brown sugar on top lends a nice sweet crunch right out of the oven. These are so moist and yummy. I challenge you only to indulge with one. Give them a try and let me know how much you enjoyed them.
One Bowl Wild Blueberry Pistachio Oatmeal Muffins Makes 12 medium muffins
1 cup buttermilk (any nut milk will work) 1 cup organic rolled oats (not quick oats) 1 large egg, at room temperature ½ cup organic dark brown sugar, plus more for sprinkling ½ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons organic all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, freshly ground 1 cup wild blueberries, fresh or frozen 1/3 cup unsalted pistachios rind of a lemon, optional
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a twelve-cup muffin tin and line with cupcake papers.
In a large bowl, soak buttermilk with oats until soft.
Add egg, brown sugar, and melted butter.
Stir in flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
Mix just to combine. Do not overmix.
Fold in blueberries, pistachios, and lemon rind.
Drop by portion scoop or 1/3 measure.
Sprinkle with brown sugar, about 1 tablespoon each
Bake for 20 minutes or until done with cake tester.
Remove from oven and completely cool in tin on a baking rack.