Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

It is no secret that I love to bake. But...I can't bake fattening cookies, pies and cupcakes all of the time and not turn into a blimp.

I do have some lighter recipes and this is one of my all-time favorites.

They are oatmeal blueberry muffins and here is why I love them:
1. They taste delicious! They don't taste like a 500 calorie fatty muffin, but they do taste really good!
2. My kids and husband love them, so they don't last long!
3. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries. In the summer my kids and I love to go blueberry picking. We pick a lot! I freeze some for use in the winter. You can't just throw a bunch in a bag and freeze it or you will have a mess. I spread mine onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Put baking sheet in freezer until the berries are frozen. Then I portion them into ziploc bags, with 1 cup in each bag.

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup flour
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup milk
1 egg
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup blueberries
Extra Cinnamon/sugar for sprinkling
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425. Line muffin tin with paper cups.
2. Combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients. Mix wet into dry until just moistened. Fold in blueberries.
3. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Sprinkle with extra cinnamon sugar. Bake 20-25 minutes.
Enjoy!
Makes 12-16, depending on size.

Beautiful Blogger

Michelle over at Let's Roll Mama tagged me with the Beautiful Blogger Award...thanks Michelle! I am supposed to list 7 random facts about myself and then tag 7 other bloggers...here goes!

1. Sometimes I feel like I am living in the wrong decade. I love aprons, pearls, staying home with my kids,baking pies and cookies, etc. I sometimes feel like I was meant to live in the 50s. Then again...what would I do without my ipod, iPhone and facebook!
2. I have a bit of a temper. I am usually very calm and most people are shocked to hear I can have a bad temper. Once a woman gave my daughter a dirty look and long story short, I ended up yelling "Screw you lady!" to her...she just started pushing my buttons and I couldn't help myself!
3. I love the tv show Friday Night Lights. I am so embarrassed to admit it, since it is about high school students and I am 31 and looong past high school.
4. When I have had a little too much drink, which hasn't happened since before I had kids, I start spelling words instead of just saying them. My husband says that I am a nerdy drunk.
5. I don't drink alcohol anymore...I just don't like the taste of any of it. But...I LOVE Shirley Temples!! There was an open bar at my husband's company Christmas Party and I must have had 10 of them!
6. I drive a mini-van but really want a car that is not a stereotypical "mom" car...I am trying to convince my husband that a hummer would be very practical!
7. Besides my running goals for the year, I also want to be able to bake a mean pie, all from scratch.

Now to tag 7 people:
1. Fantastically Fit 40s
2. A Marathon Leap
3. Last Place Runner
4. Junk Miles
5. Schizophrenic Girl Running
6. Rookie on the Run
7. My Stitchalong

Love This Shirt! (Part 2!)

I posted a pic of my new shirt for my last post. After I took the pic, I cut the tags and threw the shirt in the washing machine and then hung it to dry. When I went to take it off the hanger, I saw it from the back and saw this!!!:




Yep...on the back it says "Believe in the run"...I love it even more now!!!

Note to self: must always check the back of Nike shirts...what would I have done if it said something about basketball or soccer??

This is my new favorite running shirt! I am soooo saving it for my first half!

Love this shirt!

I was out shopping the other day and saw this shirt and HAD to have it. I just love it! I am planning on wearing it for my half in May. Whenever things get tougher and I start to doubt what I am doing, I always figure that I will never look back on things and think "Wow...I regret training hard and running that half marathon...I should have spent more time sitting on my butt."

I'm baaa-aack!

Wow...it has been crazy here! My "few days" break from blogging turned into almost 3 weeks! But I am back!

Since it is my first post of the year, thought I would look back at last year's running goals and if I achieved them. Here they are:

1. Log at least 500 miles.
I did it!!! My total for the year was 549.98. My on-line training log was not working the last 2 weeks of December....I had no idea I was so close to 550, or else I would have added on that final .02!

2. Run in at least 5 races.
Sad to say, this didn't happen. Those who have been reading for some time know that I had to take August and part of Sept off for medical issues. I was told "You cannot run." by the doctor and decided I had better follow orders. But...I did 3 races, PRed in one and took first in my age group in another...not too shabby.

3. Do more cross-training!Yes...I did! I had been running 3-4 days a week and that was it. Last year I started walking and/or cycling on my off days, leaving just one day of rest. I also added in more strengthening work, but still need to do more in this area.

4. Lose 15 pounds.
I lost about 13 pounds, but gained 5 back. So a total net loss of 8 pounds for the year.

Overall, not a bad year! Here are my goals for this year:
1. Complete a half marathon (I am already registered for one in May)
2. Log 575 miles
3. Lose 10 pounds (I am down .6 this week and am really working hard at this so far)
4. Do ab/arm work 3 times a week.
5. Complete 5 races

Happy New Year Everyone!!