I love when the recipe stars align and I have all the ingredients in my kitchen to whip up something new. And this was great timing as I’m always trying to get my teenage daughter to eat something (anything) for breakfast.

I also get requests for “grab and go” types of items from clients.These gluten-free, nut-free grape oatmeal cups from cookbook author and RD, Toby Amidor Nutrition  fit the bill.

This recipe was taken with permission from her upcoming book The Family Immunity Cookbook- set to release at the end of October. Pre-order yours here: The Family Immunity Cookbook: 101 Easy Recipes to Boost Health: Amidor, Toby: 9780778806806: Amazon.com: Books

The beauty of this recipe is its simple ingredient combination as well as nutritional profile. Rolled oats are a whole grain that’s a good source of cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber.

Sunflower seeds provide polyunsaturated fat, fiber and a bit of protein. Grapes are a source of pectin; a type of fiber that also helps reduce cholesterol.

Make them veganTo make the recipe vegan or egg-free, you can substitute a flaxseed egg by whisking 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds with 3 tablespoons of water. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes before adding to your favorite recipe. In this case, you’d need twice as much. Canola, avocado or olive oil could be used in place of butter in the recipe as well.

Family reviews

Not surprising, my teenage daughter liked the grape oatmeal cups because they weren’t overly sweet and had a chewy texture. My husband, on the other hand, didn’t care for them for the exact reasons. He prefers things a little sweeter and with a firmer texture.

I cut the recipe in half as there’s one less mouth to feed since my daughter left for college. The recipe made 9 muffins, but I could probably fill the muffin cups up a bit. A full recipe could yield a dozen and a half depending on high you fill the muffin cups.

*The recipe could be used for breakfast or a post-workout snack given its high complex carb content. Pair them with a glass of cold milk, hot coffee or your beverage of choice!

Below is the recipe and ingredients. Enjoy!

12-cup muffin pans lined with paper cups and coated with non-stick cooking spray. * (may need 2 pans)

3 cups gluten-free, large flake (old-fashioned) rolled oats               2

large eggs, beaten

¼ cup unsalted sunflower seeds                                                         

¼ cup pure maple syrup1 tsp. baking powder     

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp. ground cinnamon                                                                       

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. salt

1 ½ cups skim milk

1 ½ cups red or green seedless grapes, quartered

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, sunflower seeds, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, maple syrup, butter and vanilla extract.

4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well combined. Fold in one cup of the grapes until evenly distributed.

5. Using a ½ cup, scoop the batter into each of the 12 muffin cups. Tap the muffin pans a few times on the counter to release and air bubbles. Divide the remaining ½ cup grapes among the 12 cups.

6. Bake until the edges of the oat cups are slightly browned and a tester inserted into one or two of the muffin cups comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes.

7. Remove the muffin pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before transferring the muffin cups to a wire rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Serves 6-9, 2 muffins each *