Sugar-Free Blueberry Pecan Oatmeal Muffins (Clean)

I feel like these muffins are going to become a staple in my house. They’re just so snackable and yummy.

You won’t understand how addicting they are until you make them. I was so surprised at how sweet and flavorful they tasted. There’s hardly any added sugar. No refined sugar, no coconut sugar, no agave syrup, no honey, no maple syrup, nada. There is a tablespoon of powdered stevia, but still.

They’re really flavorful too. There’s plenty of plump blueberries in each muffin, which pairs beautifully with oats and buttery pecans. JUST TRUST ME ON THIS ONE.

Before I give you guys the recipe (technically you already have it, if you just scroll down, but shh), I just wanted to talk about something I saw on Youtube the other day.

Generally, I don’t talk about anything except for food in my posts, but I felt like this is important and something that we all have to keep in mind. I watched Why Our Hearts Ache by Carrie Hope Fletcher yesterday, and I just can’t stop thinking about it. Carrie explained that the amount of heartache you feel reflects how much you cared about whatever it is that caused the heartache. (You guys should still go watch the video, because it sounds so much nicer and makes more sense coming from her…I think. Plus, she’s perfect and kind and inspiring and gorgeous and wonderful and I love her.)

Sometimes you put a lot of work into something, and when it doesn’t come out right, whether its a relationship or a project or something, you won’t really care too much. Other times, you’ll feel like your world has collapsed and it’ll take you days or months or even years to get over. Those are the times where you realize how much you truly cared about whatever it is that you did.

It makes perfect sense, and I couldn’t agree more. I’m slightly surprised that I hadn’t come to the same conclusion, but it just makes so much sense.

And on a more personal note, the video made me realize what I really care about, and I found that to be fascinating. For example, some days, I’ll be in the kitchen and I’ll put all my effort into creating amazing food. When they don’t turn out right, I do get really really upset. I’ve gotten used to kitchen experiments not working out, but when I spend hours baking with tons of effort, and not ending up with a good product, I’ll essentially feel heartache. Not in the lovey-dovey way, but I will truly feel disappointed.

Then again, there is that lovey-dovey stuff.

Take this example.

A guy liked you two years ago, and you treated him badly without thinking twice, but then, he was all you wanted, and it was too late. You spend the next two years missing him and wishing that you were closer, though you get all anxious and nervous and jittery around him and when he’s around you can’t focus on anything and you practically forget how to speak and be yourself. You want the best for him, and you’d do anything to make him happy. He’s the only one who can make you smile just by saying your name in that special way, or just by giving you that look. Sometimes you’ll talk for hours and you’ll never want to stop. Then, in the middle of math class, your friend tells you that he’s moving at the end of the year, and you nearly break down crying in the middle of class. The rest of your high school life seems to crash and you can’t bear with the thought of him leaving. You wish that he told you earlier, and that he’d told you himself. On the bus ride home, you cry, and on your walk home, you cry. At night, you can’t fall asleep because you’re so filled with grief, so you click open your phone and you say, “hi”. He says, “hii. I’m sorry for not telling you >.<” and endless waves of tears stream down your cheeks as you type back, “It’s okay”, even though its not. And then you tuck your phone away and curl up under the covers and you cry and you cry and you cry your f***ing eyes out.

And that’s when you know how much you cared.

Oh. I didn’t expect for all of that to end up being typed up. What the hell, though. Maybe it’ll help you guys get through difficulties in life and maybe you can relate. When things go bad and you feel like everything is breaking down, at least you’ll know how much you cared and to know how much you could possibly care for something or someone.

BACK TO THE MUFFINS.

They’re delicious. Full stop.

Blueberry Pecan Oatmeal Muffins

Adapted from Sugar Free Mom

Makes 14-15 muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp powdered stevia
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 3/4 cup milk of choice
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh (I used fresh)
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped roughly

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oats, buckwheat flour, ground cinnamon, sea salt, baking powder, baking soda, and powdered stevia
3. Stir in the eggs, applesauce, coconut oil, milk, and vanilla extract until just combined
4. Fold in the blueberries and pecans
5. Pour the batter into a lined cupcake/muffin tin, filling them about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way, and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean
6. Serve!