Breakfast of Champions (Or at least Breakfast of Graham)

Graham ate fruit and baby oatmeal for nearly every breakfast after he decided one day that rice cereal wasn't for him. (And he so ever sweetly told us that he was over rice cereal by spitting it back at us.) So upon turning one and being given the pediatrician's clearance to abandon baby oatmeal, I was suddenly at a loss for what to give Graham in the mornings. Fruit obviously stayed, but so many breakfast foods are full of sugar or require spoons to eat, and let's just say Graham's favorite way to use a spoon is to bang it on the ground, not to feed himself.

I came across this recipe and it was a huge hit...not only with Graham, but with Taylor too. The original recipe is here, but I adapted it in the below recipe to include all wheat flour and no chocolate chips. Hey, he's going to learn soon enough the greatness of sweets, I don't have to prod him along any. (But the chocolate chips would be a great addition!)

Banana Applesauce Oat Muffins
Makes 12 muffins or 24 Graham-sized servings 

1 egg
3 mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup natural applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup quick cooking oats

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine egg, bananas, brown sugar, applesauce and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir the oatmeal into the flour mixture. Gently stir flour mixture into the banana mixture. Pour batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and place on a wire rack to let cool before serving.