Speed Up or Get Out Of the Way

This past weekend Toronto was hit with a snowstorm. Given the fact that I’m from further north where winter storms are a weekly affair, I didn’t consider it that big of a deal. I have no problem with the snow, only with how people deal with it. When it snows in the city there’s nowhere to put it, so it piles up, reduces traffic to one lane and eventually becomes a dirty, slushy mess. The city tries to get rid of the snow but unless you live on a main route you’re pretty much screwed and had better develop some serious shoveling skills if you want to get around. Throwing bags of salt on anything that looks like snow seems to be a popular way of dealing with the problem but it’s not what I recommend. All that does is stain the bottom of my pants and I hate salt stains.

The other thing that drives me crazy is that the sidewalks are always the last thing to be cleared. I walk everywhere so this is a major issue. The sidewalks, even on main roads have been reduced to one walking lane, making it necessary to trudge along single file with nary an opportunity to pass. If I’m leading the line, it’s alright, but if I get stuck behind a slow walker I am not happy. Slow Walkers take on various forms. There’s the “I’m Scared of Snow” Slow Walker who seems to have forgotten how to walk now that there’s snow on the ground and takes nothing but baby steps, much to my annoyance. This time of year there’s the “I’m Carrying 17 Bags of Christmas Presents and Can Barely Move” Slow Walker who is not only walking ridiculously slow but they are also unaware of anyone around them and will quite frequently hit people with their packages without ever knowing it. And let’s not forget the “We’re A Group of Loud, Giggly School Girls” Slow Walkers who take up the entire street, walk so slowly they’re almost in reverse and talk about subjects so trivial that you feel dumber for having heard their conversation. All I want to do is push the Slow Walkers into a snow bank so that I can speed by them, is that wrong? I have yet to do this but really it’s only a matter of time before I snap and start driving a zamboni down Toronto’s sidewalks. If you see me, be sure to wave.

These muffins have nothing to do with the dreaded Slow Walkers but they’re perfect for a mid afternoon snack or when you need some energy before facing slushy sidewalks and the human turtles who are occupying them. And you know what? They’re pretty good for you too!

Bri’s Snacking Muffins (Adapted from Living the G.I. Diet by Rick Gallop)

1 cup whole flake oats

½ cup bran cereal

¼ tsp salt

½ cup boiling water

1 + ½ cup buttermilk

½ cup dried prunes,.chopped

½ cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

¼ cup canola oil

1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour

1 ¼ tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

Grease or line 12 muffin cups and preheat oven to 375F.

In a bowl, combine oatmeal, bran cereal and salt. Pour over the boiling water and stir to combine. Stir in 1 cup buttermilk, prunes, and cranberries and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together sugar, egg and oil. Stir into the oatmeal mixture.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Pour bran mixture along with the other ½ cup buttermilk into the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a tester inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

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Muffins + Baking