Oatmeal Cashew Muffins: A Grab-and-Go Breakfast

These muffins use oats, a mashed banana and chopped cashews, so they're filling and not too sweet. They keep well, and they freeze nicely, which makes them handy for school mornings and for work.

1 1/2 cups rolled oats, 1 cup plain flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch of salt. 1 egg, 3/4 cup milk, 1/3 cup oil or melted butter, 1/3 cup sugar or honey and 1 ripe banana, mashed. 1/2 cup chopped cashews. Makes about 10 to 12 muffins.

Heat the oven to about 190°C and line a muffin tin. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl. In another, whisk the egg, milk, oil, sugar and banana. Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until combined, since overmixing makes muffins tough. Fold in most of the cashews and spoon the batter into the cases. Sprinkle the rest of the cashews on top.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Let them cool in the tin for a few minutes, then move them to a rack. They keep for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container, or you can freeze them for a month.

Chop the cashews rather than using them whole, so you get some in every bite. Lightly roasted cashews give the best flavour. Try our Oven Roasted Cashew, or stir a spoonful of Cashew Powder into the flour for a nuttier crumb.

The most common cause is overmixing. Stir the wet and dry ingredients only until you no longer see dry flour, and leave a few lumps. Other causes are old baking powder, which loses strength over time, an oven that is too cool, and packing the flour into the cup instead of spooning it in lightly. Avoid opening the oven door in the first 15 minutes, since a sudden drop in heat makes muffins sink.

Replace half the plain flour with wholemeal flour for a heartier muffin. Stir in a handful of raisins, chopped dates or desiccated coconut, or swap the cinnamon for cardamom. Honey can replace the sugar, and cashew milk can replace the dairy milk, as we show in how to make cashew milk at home. Keep the total amount of liquid the same.

Once cool, keep the muffins in an airtight container for two to three days. To freeze, wrap them individually and keep them for up to a month. Warm a frozen muffin in the oven for about ten minutes, or in the microwave for about 30 seconds, and it tastes freshly baked.

For other ways to start the day, try the cashew yoghurt bowl, or see how many cashews to eat a day to fit them into your routine. Amounts and times are a guide, so adjust to your oven.