There’s nothing I hate more than a January diet. Apart from dry January bores. For I am a January baby, forever condemned to live out my days attending birthday celebrations where friends toast me with an orange juice. So, in the spirit of ignoring any abstinence I offer you these sunshine granola breakfast muffins. They’re lemony and light and soft. Perfect for breakfast. And they’re not fried in any way, so surely they’ll pass the January diet police?
I made a lovely video with the Scoff folks to show off how to make these muffins. You can see the vid on my YouTube channeland also the Scoff one. You can watch it below too.
Lots of great recipes like this in my book, Recipes from a Normal Mum, out now… on Amazon, at Waterstones, WHSmith, The Book Depository and many smaller outlets.
Last January: Lemon & blueberry loaf, my Bake Off cherry Bakewell inspired cupcakes, plus Sesame bread sticks
Two years ago: Love cupcakes, White chocolate, lemon and macadamia cake and a perfect wintery Roasted celeriac, carrot and parsnip soup.
Three years ago: Bake me not chocolate cake, Jelly and ice-cream meringue roulade, Good flapjack and Banana, butterscotch and fig traybake.
Four years ago: Treasure hunt ice-cream, Rhubarb and ginger chutney and Carrot cake.
Granola breakfast muffins
Makes 12
Ingredients:
- 260g plain flour
- 220g brown sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 100g granola
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 80mls vegetable oil
- 420mls milk
- Juice of 1 lemon
- To top – 75g granola
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6 and line a 12 hole muffin tray with cases. Mix together the dry ingredients (including the granola) until well combined. Mix together the wet ingredients and set aside for 5 minutes. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. (Don’t over stir as this can result in a tough muffin!) Pour the mixture into a jug to make it easier to fill the cases.
Pour the mixture gently into the cases and sprinkle a little granola on the top. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until well risen and brown. Cool out of the tray on a wire rack. Can be eaten warm or cold!
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Holly Bell 
Hi Holly I saw in your newsletter that you’re a fan of the Harcombe diet. Me too! But how do you reconcile this way of eating with baking – ie the completely banned sugar! I’m an avid baker so this really pains me…
Hi Hannah, I have used the Harcombe diet in the past but afraid I don’t follow it as a way of eating. I use it more for weight reduction if I have been over indulging, kind of in a 2:4 way – 2 weeks on and then 2 weeks off. I know this isn’t what you’re supposed to do but I love food way too much to follow any eating plan that’s restrictive long term. I am a fan of credit/debit. Eat cake today and salad tomorrow! X
Holly
Completely agree – also a January bday here – my presents are unwanted xmas gifts, no one has any money to go out and no one is eating or drinking anyway……booo to that!!! hahaha
Can’t wait to try the muffins and love your book! :-) xx
Thank you Zoe! And yes on the unwanted Xmas pressie front! I have had many of those… Oh well, maybe we should start a Jan babies birthday party evening every year. And drink and eat and not give unwanted Xmas pressies?! X
Holly
Me and my son both are January birthdays so I never do this dry January nonsense, and this year I think it’s against the law as I’ll be in France!
Ooh I like the sound of that! The French are very sensible on the booze front I always think…
Holly
I agree! PS the muffins do look delicious and definitely worth a try :-)
I never thought about the poor January birthday people getting the short end of the stick. Muffins are a good way to brighten things up.
Yes, poor me! Ha.xx