• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

MJ and Hungryman

  • About
  • Blog
  • Feeding tips
  • Recipes
  • Resources
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Baby Led Weaning
  • Recipes
  • Feeding tips
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Baby Led Weaning
    • Recipes
    • Feeding tips
    • Resources
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    MJ & Hungryman » Baby/Kid-Friendly Recipes » Breakfast

    Kid Friendly Southwestern Oat Muffins

    By Min On April 22, 2019, Updated February 11, 2022

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

    Share or Save It for Later!

    Jump to Recipe

    Delicious and healthy flourless oat vegetable muffins for babies, toddlers, and kids! These savoury muffins are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast/snack packed with vegetables, whole grains, as well as protein and fat to keep them fuller for longer!

    three baked vegetable muffins stacked and one with a bite taken out of it
    Thanks to Cabot for sponsoring this post.

    The most popular requests I receive from you guys are for quick and easy, nutritious breakfast and snack recipes. And that is why I have a huge silly grin on my face as I’m typing this. Oh you guys are going to LOVE these oat muffins!

    I had so much fun developing, testing, re-testing  this recipe. If you purchased my first e-cookbook, you know that I use old-fashioned (or rolled) oats a lot in baking, but this is the first time trying my hand at it with steel cut oats.

    I normally cook a big batch for my family to enjoy as oatmeal with various toppings in the mornings, but I also know that magical things happen when food enters an oven. And thus, my experimentation began. Since there's so much confusion surrounding all the different oats, out there, hope this post Oats 101 that I shared on my Instagram is helpful! 

    If you don't want to bother cooking your oats, then most definitely check out these baby-friendly sweet and savory overnight oats! You'll find step by step instructions as well as different flavor combinations for every day of the week! 

    all the ingredients laid out on a white background

    I made these savory rather than sweet because that’s how my mind works when it comes to recipe development, and because I have one of the most delectable ingredients in my arsenal. Hello, Cabot cheese!

    I was first introduced to Cabot 4 years ago, and I never looked at cheese the same way again. Cabot Creamery is a co-operative owned by farm families throughout New England and New York and 100% of profits go back to the farmers! And for 100 years they’ve banded together to provide for their families, give back to their communities, and to produce some of the best cheese in the world. Take one bite and you’ll taste the difference. Their cheese is also 100% lactose-free.

    Cheese for babies and toddlers

    From a nutrition standpoint, cheese (and other dairy products) offers many health benefits for your baby/toddler:

    • an excellent source of calcium, a mineral necessary for the healthy development of  teeth, bones, heart, nerves, and muscles. Babies get their calcium from breastmilk or formula. As your child grows older, his/her needs increase to support growing bones.
    • also a great source of protein, fat (I want to emphasize that it shouldn't be restricted for children under the age of 2), and vitamin D
    • although more research is needed for dairy, early introduction of top allergenic foods (e.g. peanuts, eggs) has been found to minimize or even prevent the development of food allergies later in life
    five baked vegetable muffins on a white oval plate with a toddler hand grabbing one and a block of Cabot cheese on the side

    Savory muffins for babies

    These muffins are great for kids of all ages, including babies who are just starting their self-feeding journey. They’re easy to grab, soft-textured, and packed with essential, top-priority nutrients, like iron as well as vitamin C to help with its absorption and as just mentioned, calcium.

    For us moms, these are wonderful because they are freezer-friendly, portable (perfect for lunchboxes), and a great way to boost our kid’s nutritional intake. Now, I know it’s in our nature to save all the good stuff for our little ones, but don’t forget to enjoy some for yourself too! Promise me?

    Other Baby-Friendly Muffins to Try:

    • Beetroot Muffins
    • Pumpkin Bean Muffins
    • Spinach Sweet Potato Blender Muffins
    • Vegan Apple Cinnamon Muffins
    • Baby Led Weaning Beginner Bites - My first ecookbook contains 30 finger-friendly recipes suitable for 6 months and up.

    And if you like this recipe, I'd love it if you would pin it! I'm trying to grow my Pinterest and your support would mean so so much to this mama! Thank you!!

    three baked vegetable muffins stacked and one with a bite taken out of it

    Kid Friendly Southwestern Oat Muffins

    Delicious and healthy flourless oat vegetable muffins for babies, toddlers, and kids! These savoury muffins are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast/snack packed with vegetables, whole grains, as well as protein and fat to keep them fuller for longer!
    4.93 from 14 votes
    Print Pin
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 22 -24 muffins
    Author: Min | MJ and Hungryman

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup steel cut oats , see note!
    • 3 cups water
    • 1 cup finely chopped broccoli
    • 1 cup finely chopped red peppers
    • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder
    • 2 eggs whisked
    • 1 cup no-salt-added black beans , drained and rinsed
    • 2 tablespoons finely ground walnuts
    • 1 cup cheese divided

    Instructions

    • to cook the oats: Pour water into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the oats. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, uncovered, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan. Cook ahead and refrigerate for AT LEAST AN HOUR
    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
    • Heat lightly oiled skillet over medium heat. Add the vegetables and cook until moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and seasonings and stir to incorporate, about a minute. Set aside to cool slightly.
    • Transfer to a large bowl and combine with oats and the rest of the ingredients (reserve ½ cup of cheese)
    • Spoon the mixture into the greased/lined (or silicone) 12 cup muffin pan (about 2 spoonfuls), flatten with the back of a spoon, and sprinkle rest of cheese on top.
    • Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
    • Give the muffins a couple minutes to cool off a little and then transfer to a cooling rack.

    Notes

    I've found that using cooked oats that had completely been cooled works best. Otherwise, the muffins may not hold. together. That's why I highly recommend cooking ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to bake!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 4g | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
    Course Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Tag me @KidFriendly.Meals today!

    More Baby/Kid-Friendly Recipes

    • Four oatmeal balls with different add-ins.
      No Bake Oatmeal Balls (with Peanut Butter)
    • A close up shot of sliced carrot cake.
      Eggless Carrot Walnut Cake
    • Two waffles with yogurt and fresh strawberries.
      Fluffy Strawberry Waffles
    • Stacked pancakes with maple syrup dripping down.
      Easy Carrot Pancakes

    Share or Save It for Later!

    Share: [addtoany]

    About Min

    Thank you so much for stopping by! I am Min, a Registered Dietitian, a Christ follower, a wife, and a mom to our two miracle babies! Currently, I’m having a ton of fun feeding their tummies and sharing our baby led weaning journey! Follow me on Instagram if interested in seeing daily menu as well as tips and tricks.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Annette says

      May 12, 2019 at 9:59 am

      5 stars
      Hello, Min, and thank you for this great recipe! Pinned!

      I made these last week and it turned out perfect, my kids loved these oat muffins very much! I'm going to cook these again and wanted to ask you: Can these be frozen?

      • Min says

        May 13, 2019 at 1:43 pm

        OH I'm soo GLAD to hear this! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave me this awesome comment ;). YES! I've got some in my freezer right now actually hehe

    2. Sherstin Sutherland says

      May 11, 2019 at 9:56 am

      What does research say about using butter to grease pans when cooking for babies? It is negligible? My son is 8 months old and he’s only had fats from nuts, chia seeds, fish, cheese, yogurt and avocado. I haven’t used evoo, coconut oil, avacado oil, butter, etc. Can you help educate me? ☺️

      • Min says

        May 30, 2019 at 1:57 pm

        Babies most definitely need dietary fats and so butter and all those oils you mentioned are great to cook with!

    3. kayleigh says

      May 09, 2019 at 12:45 pm

      Are you cooking 1 cup of oats, or do you need 1 cup of cooked oats?

      • Min says

        May 09, 2019 at 7:46 pm

        cooking 1 cup of oats!

    4. Mary Cuizon says

      May 09, 2019 at 5:46 am

      4 stars
      Can this be eaten by 11 months baby? Thanks❤

      • Min says

        May 09, 2019 at 7:47 pm

        absolutely! Hope you guys enjoy!! 😉

    5. Kiran says

      May 05, 2019 at 8:51 pm

      Can i use rolled oats instead?

      • Min says

        May 06, 2019 at 6:51 pm

        You can but the muffins won't be as firm. Definitely give steel cut oats a try if you've never tried before! 😉

    6. Zee says

      May 05, 2019 at 6:24 pm

      Hi, would I be able to use quick oats instead of the steel cut oats. And would the process of cooking then cooling them in the fridge be the same? Thanks

      • Min says

        May 06, 2019 at 6:52 pm

        I actually wouldn't recommend quick oats but you can try with rolled oats. Yes, you want to still cool them in the fridge so that the oats firm up a bit

    7. Laura says

      April 24, 2019 at 11:49 am

      Hi! These look great! I’m always looking for new ideas for my kids and I’m sure they will love these! Was wondering....can I omit the walnuts or are they used for something specific like binding? My son’s preschool is nut free and I would love to send these with him for a snack. Thanks!

      • Min says

        April 27, 2019 at 7:13 pm

        Hi! Thanks so much! Absolutely! I added it for extra protein and fat but you can certainly leave out or add ground seeds (like flax, sunflower, pumpkin, etc.). Hope y'all enjoy these!!

    8. Sheeba says

      April 23, 2019 at 9:34 am

      That looks delicious and super healthy!

      • Min says

        April 27, 2019 at 7:13 pm

        Thank you so much! Hope you give this recipe a try!

    9. Kristi says

      April 22, 2019 at 9:45 pm

      5 stars
      Wondering about soaking the oats overnight instead of cooking and then cooling...thoughts?

      • Min says

        April 27, 2019 at 7:15 pm

        So are you thinking about using old-fashioned oats? Might work but I haven't tried so not certain. If you're asking about steel cut oats, then I honestly don't think it'd work. Def needs to be cooked.

    Primary Sidebar

    HI!

    I am MJ, a registered dietitian and a mom of 2. I truly hope you’ll enjoy all the recipes and tips that I share on what and how to feed your child!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    search

    Trending Now

    Four oatmeal balls with different add-ins.

    No Bake Oatmeal Balls (with Peanut Butter)

    A close up shot of sliced carrot cake.

    Eggless Carrot Walnut Cake

    Three custard yogurt variations sliced into triangles and squares.

    Custard Yogurt Toast (Sweet and Savory)

    Banana mug cake in a cup with sliced banana and peanut butter drizzle.

    Banana Mug Cake

    An overhead shot of sliced banana oat bars with sliced banana.

    Soft-Baked Banana Oatmeal Bars

    stacked spinach baby pancakes

    Easy Spinach Pancakes (with yogurt)

    Jump to Recipe

    Is your baby 4-6 months old?

    Give your baby a head start on solids even before their first bite!
    I'M READY!
    Jump to Recipe

    Is your baby 6 months old and up?

    Learn all the secrets to starting solids safely while optimizing nutrition!
    I NEED IT NOW!
    Jump to Recipe

    Is your toddler becoming picky?

    Arm yourself with these strategies that will transform your mealtimes!
    YES, PLEASE!

    popular feeding tips

    A four image collage of simple BLW meals.

    Baby Led Weaning Made Easy (a complete Guide)

    A four image collage showing how to serve protein finger foods for baby

    Best Healthy Finger Foods for Baby

    A four image collage of healthy baby snacks including iron.

    Healthy Baby Snacks (Easy and Balanced)

    A four image collage of best baby cereals.

    Best Baby Cereal (2023)

    Footer

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Copyright © 2023 MJ & Hungryman LLC · Privacy Policy | Contact

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    SAVE & ACCEPT