Late to the (Virtual Tea) Party #virtualteaparty2021

Better late than never, they say…whoever “they are. At any rate, here I am with my offering for this month’s Virtual Tea Party, held by our ever gracious hosts Su and Del (go check out their blogs, please!) A day (or two) late, and a dollar short, through no fault of my own! This week marked the end (at least I hope so) of a long story for me involving esophageal spasms, acid reflux, gastritis, the reveal of a hiatal hernia, and not one but two gastroscopies. Let’s blame it all on the hospital-administered sedation! Anyhoodle, here I am: hale and hearty (and sober) again and wanting to share with you a delicious, substantial blueberry lemon oatmeal muffin cup recipe, from the Clean and Delicious blog site.

This recipe rings all the bells for me. Easy to whip up, contains my favourite flavours, powers me through to lunch, easy to sub in other things if need be, and contains no wheat (a trigger for my acid reflux). I need a quick and easy brekkie these days as I find myself running down to the beach while it is still dark if there is even a hint of a pretty sunrise to come. And those runs sometimes pay off. Behold:

By the time the sun has fully risen and I’ve made my way back to my place, I can just about chew my arm off. My poor stomach thinks my throat has been cut. My belly button can touch my backbone. Cue all the hunger idioms you can think of….I need victuals, STAT! These muffin cups come to my rescue so I make sure to always have some in the freezer.

Fresh out of the oven.
Good with Greek yogurt and raspberries.
Also with cottage cheese and blueberries.
Cinnamon on top is a nice addition.

These would make a fine addition to any tea table, in my decidedly-biased opinion. 😉

Do you have a go-to quick breakfast? Do tell, and…

Rock on,

The WB

74 thoughts on “Late to the (Virtual Tea) Party #virtualteaparty2021

  1. Oh darn, Deb, about the health issues. Yes, hale and hearty……no wine allowed?! I am loving all of your beach photos and videos, so I can appreciate the fast breakfast. Nothing better than fresh muffins right out of the oven. And I love everything lemon! I hope you mend quickly. Dragonflies on your Tiffany lamp….love it!💕

    1. Apparently wine (alcohol) is one of the things I am to avoid, however none of the usual suspects (booze included) are a trigger food or drink for me, that I can determine. But wheat quite often does cause me heartburn. Thanks, Erica 💕

  2. Arlene Whitehouse

    I enjoy your blog.i too have experienced all . My breakfast is cereal or a low carb muffin and a fruit.Because of all my problems I drink tea. But today at online senior club when I remarked I miss coffee a group of my senior friends were astounded that I had never heard of simpatico coffee .It is a coffee company in Indiana that makes low acid coffee.They swear by it so I ordered some.They also said some gluten free foods also help acid. Be well Arlene

    1. Thank you, Arlene 💕 Thankfully neither coffee nor tea triggers heartburn for me. Only the wheat…at least I think it’s the wheat…all I know is bread can do this to me. Not all bread and not all the time, but enough that I do my best to avoid it.

  3. I love your morning photographs. What a way to start your day! The muffin looks great, too. I’m more of a Great Grains for breakfast kind of girl. An easy and tasty cereal and if I’m in the mood for a warm breakfast I’ll make Cream of Wheat or Oat Meal.

  4. AJ Blythe

    I don’t eat breakfast anymore, but that does look like a lovely snack later in the day. I can’t eat any grains so sadly it isn’t a recipe for me (although I have a lot of yummy nut-based cakes that, like you, I make and keep in the freezer 🙂 )

    1. Oh, that is too bad, AJ. I’ve tried to eliminate all grains from my diet before, and did come up with some good recipes involving almond and cassava flours. It does make it hard to eat out though, or at other people’s homes. Thanks for the comment 💕

  5. So sorry to hear about your health issues. Hopefully you’re well and truly on the mend. I love the sound and look of the muffins. And am slightly envious of your wonderful sunrises.

    1. Thank you Su 💕 I am much better than I was when this health saga began. Hopefully it never gets that intense again as apparently it cannot be fixed, only managed.

    1. Thank you, Rivergirl💕 I have a thing for dragonflies and as a result have been gifted over the years with 3 – count ’em – 3 Tiffany-style lamps with dragonflies on them. I love them all.

  6. Love your morning pictures. Cottage cheese and mango with a piece of toast is my favorite breakfast right now. Glad you’ve narrowed your issues down to wheat. The day a Dr. tells me to avoid wine, is the day I stop going to Dr’s.

  7. I love having muffins in the freezer! This one looks good! You can run to the beach? So jealous! If I “ran” to the beach it would take me at least two weeks! (three hour drive!) Hope all your health issues resolve. A few years back I was getting spasms when I swallowed. A bundle of tests later and it’s all stress. Still get it but if it’s annoying I drink something hot which helps it. No hernia here and they looked in there. Better down the top and not up the bottom.

    1. Yes! Absolutely better top down than bottom up. Although I am sure that is in my future at some point, as some of my older friends are getting that done. The beach is a 5 minute walk down a steep hill from the place I am renting. I run (sometimes) because the sunrise can be very fleeting and I don’t want to miss a second of it. My shins and thighs hate me the next day. 😫 Thanks, Kate 💕

  8. Darn, what a bummer. Sounds like maybe you’ve been feeling miserable lately, with all that going on. I hope you can get your health issues under control.

    1. Thanks, TG 💕 I am much better than I was a few months ago but I still have some bad days with this hernia and the reflux. Learning to live with ongoing health issues…something you know all about!

      1. Good, I’m glad you’re better. Yes, the older we get, the more of those pesky ongoing health issues we acquire. This is a dirty trick our bodies play on us retirees, but better to live with it, than die with it.

  9. Beautiful photons. In the summer I am all about smoothies. In the winter and fall it is oatmeal with almond milk and powdered chocolate peanut butter and bananas. Sometimes a chai warm smoothie.

    1. Oh, great ideas! I love smoothies as well – like you, they are more of a summer thing as a breakfast option for me. In the winter, I like to have smoothies post-exercise, with a shot of protein powder. Thank you, Sarah 💕

  10. I am aflame with desire – want one RIGHT NOW!!!
    Chomp – munch – swallow. . .

    It’s almost lunch time here (on Saturday) but virtual time doesn’t count, m’dear, so you’re nevah late. Especially when you arrive bearing EDIBLE gifts — be still, my salivating heart!! HUGE thank you’s for arriving at precisely the right moment!

    Now that acute starvation has been assuaged and I won’t bite your hand off, I am de-LIGHTED to see you and hear your medicinal pronouncement. How GLORIOUS for you ! ! ! xxx
    Now will go add you to our guest list!

      1. It’s printed out & on the To Be Made list! Did I tell you I made your apricot oatmeal muffins from several months ago and loved ’em? Oatmeal gives a different texture, and I like some variety. 😉

  11. I love carrot muffins for breakfast chock full or raisins or pumpkin muffins chock full of pumpkin seeds. Those are my go to I’m running late for breakfast. All winter long I am an oatmeal girl but once the light and warmth return I head to toast and PB. Your muffins sound awesome as I also love lemon! Your sunrise captures are spectacular!!

    1. Thank you, Bernie 💕 There is a pumpkin version of this muffin on the Clean and Delicious website that I will try soon. There is also an apple version that I have tried and loved. I don’t see why I couldn’t concoct a carrot version or, better yet: a morning glory version!!!!

      1. What is a morning glory besides a flower? HM will have to check the site out. I have just modified my carrot one by decreasing the sugar and using half regular oil and half coconut oil. I am like addicted to them and seriously that’s the last thing I need..doing the weight yoyo thing again …. hello stress eating.

      2. Hm… Sounds good but then I rarely find food I don’t like (except banana). Glad you are feeling somewhat better with a few answers to the questions. Take care.

  12. Soooo…. in addition to adding a “u” to words like “color” and saying “zed” rather than “zee,” apparently Canadian cottage cheese is different from the sad stuff your southern neighbors eat? Whatever your blueberries are on looks so much yummier than the lumpy curd we buy at the grocery store.

    Your recipe looks wonderful and I have both pinned it and printed it out. I don’t have to avoid wheat but I LOVE blueberries, lemon and oatmeal so I know that I’ll love these. Thanks for the tip!

    Love your sunrise photos and I’m happy to know that you survived your post-procedure impairment. I was afraid that you’d pass out during Zoom. 🙂

    1. Hah! I passed out after Zoom, after lunch 🤣😴. I find that the BC cottage cheese is much saucier than the Ontario variety. The curds are in there, but buried under lots of creamy sauce. Thanks, Janis 💕

  13. Oh my gosh, Deb! It sounds like a harrowing experience – I am so glad to hear you are well on the road to recovery.

    Another delicious looking & sounding bake from you! Younger daughter was just asking me if I knew any good lemon cupcake recipes – I think yours more than qualifies. We will try it tomorrow during our baking time.

    Those are stunning reasons to run … such lovely sunrises …

          1. I usually have some frozen ones as well – but I recently had a slew of blueberry muffin baking, and I didn’t realise it was all gone!

  14. I’m with you on the morning hunger. Lord have mercy on anyone getting in between myself and food. I love this recipe even though I hardly bake anything; they look yummy.
    That sunrise? heaven!
    Sorry you’ve been going through so much ‘not so fun’ health stuff. I hope you are on the other side of it all.
    Be well.

  15. Glad you’re feeling better. After all you have a blog to write! 🙂 Seriously, stay well. My quickie breakfast used to be a cup of coffee and a cig. Now it regularly cereal ( plus whatever) THEN tea and a cig. Have cut down severely on the tobacco and feeling like I’m getting younger. Haven’t set a stop date, I want to surprise myself.

  16. hilarymb

    Hi Deb – I sincerely hope those health issues are under control and you’re feeling better – must have been horrible.
    While your beach rush runs – are so so well worth while and no wonder you want to go to record the start of the day – stunning colours. Nature is beautiful.
    Those muffins look delicious – though I’ve never been a morning eater … it’s my worst – but enjoy all your goodies – love the lamp – beautiful. All the best – Hilary

    1. Thank you, Hilary 💕 My attack of esophageal spasms was horrible. I thought I might be having a heart attack and ended up in the Emergency department of the hospital. But thankfully, no re-occurrences. Nature is beautiful, you are 💯!

  17. I also love the sunrise shots Deb and have printed out the muffin recipe! My go to breakfast involves eggs, tomatoes, shallots, chorizo, mushroom, spinach – all together!

  18. Fabulous sunrise photos! Being a night owl, I rarely see the sunrise (unless I’m up north, in the winter). However, I have lots of sunset photos in my phone.

    Jude

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