Lavender Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

There's a contest going on over at So Delicious and Go Dairy Free, looking for the best dairy free Snackable recipes around. That got me surfing through old recipe posts of mine, and I came across my oatmeal muffin recipe, which has, over the years, become a standard snack of choice around here.

I've made alterations to the original recipe over time, to get the best crowd-pleasing flavour. Remember too, these are dairy free, so that's a bonus for us lactose intolerant folk.

DAIRY-FREE LAVENDER CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL MUFFINS 

Muffins are a comfort food for me, and chocolate is a key component. Over the last few years I have perfected and finessed my muffin making, and have developed this crowd-pleasing favourite.

I adapted and evolved this recipe over the years from one provided to me by my nutritionist, Jodi Turner, who is an amazing food miracle worker. She turned my life around with her understanding of sensitive guts. Now it's a Jordan special creation. 

YOU WILL NEED:
Whole wheat flour: 2 cups
Rolled Oats: 2 cups
Cinnamon: 1 tbsp
Baking Soda: 1 tsp
Baking powder: 1tsp
Eggs: 2
Sunflower oil: 1/2 cup
Honey or maple syrup: 1/2 cup
Vanilla: 1 tsp
So Delicious unsweetened Coconut milk dairy beverage: 2 cups
Vinegar: 1 tbsp
Dairy free chocolate chips: 1-2 cups (as needed)
Edible lavender buds: a few tablespoons

Makes about 12 large muffins
Preheat oven 325’
Prep a muffin tin with muffin cups or lightly grease with your dairy-free margarine.

In a large bowl, mix together…

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cup of rolled oats
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

In another bowl, beat together…

2 eggs
½ cup sunflower oil
½ cup honey or maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups buttermilk alternative: you make this by adding a spoonful of vinegar to your 2 cups of dairy alternative milk, stir, then use.

Slowly stir the wet ingredients into the dry and stir together only
until incorporated. Do not over mix.
If the batter isn't moist enough, add little touches of water.
Add a cup (or more, at your discretion) of dairy-free chocolate chips, and a good amount of edible lavender buds (at your discretion, but probably a couple tablespoons).
Scoop into muffin tin and bake 20-25 minutes. Cool and enjoy!

The lavender buds really make these special. They have a sort of minty-rosemary flavour and kind of make the muffins more 'grown up'. Plus they're pretty and people are always impressed. And they go with chocolate. And I feel like I live in Jane Austen times, which is always a bonus!