Healthy Breakfast Muffins

These muffins are my auntie's creation. She adapted the recipe from one in a magazine to make it more healthy... and adapted it again... and again... until, ta-da! - Yummy muffins that are healthy too! They make a great breakfast, especially when time is short (isn't that every morning? haha!) and they freeze well too.

Ingredients:
1 cup oats
½ cup natural bran
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup plain yoghurt
¾ cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup ground flaxseed
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sultanas
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit or 190 degrees Celsius. In a large bowl, combine oats, bran, salt, cinnamon and yoghurt. Mix well and let stand for 15 minutes. Add honey, eggs, apple sauce and oil. Mix well. In another bowl, combine flour, ground flaxseed, baking powder and baking soda. Add to oat mixture and stir just until moistened. Stir in sultanas and pecans. Spray muffin tins with a non-stick cooking spray and scoop batter into tins. Bake 18-20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from tins and place on rack to cool.

Physical Challenges: A few annual walking events...

Star Trek - An annual team orienteering trek across Exmoor in the dark, aimed at groups of 4-6 people. Knowledge of map and compass reading is essential as the route takes you over common and moorland for about 16 miles. To add to the challenge, clues (cryptic and others) need to be found en route! Refreshments are provided at the start, halfway house and a warming bowl of porridge and bacon butty for breakfast.

Three Peaks Trial - An annual organised challenge walk, designed for less experienced walkers who want to test their powers of endurance and skill at map reading. There is a choice of 4 routes:

• Platinum Route: A linear walk of about 17 miles and 5000' of ascent from Llanthony to Abergavenny over Bal Mawr, Pen Cerrig Calch and Sugar Loaf. Although the platinum route is shorter than the Gold, the ascents are steeper and navigation more challenging.
• Gold Route: A circular walk of about 20 miles and 5000' of ascent, which crosses over three prominent peaks around Abergavenny in Monmouthshire: Blorenge, Sugar Loaf and Skirrid. Concentration on map reading is essential to keep to the best route.
• Silver Route: A circular walk of about 15 miles and 4000' of ascent. It follows the Gold Route from Abergavenny over Blorenge and Sugar Loaf, then descends back to Abergavenny.
• Bronze Route: A circular walk of about 10 miles and 2000' of ascent. The route goes from Abergavenny to the summit of Sugar Loaf, descending by a different path.

Weald Walkers Wander - A 10 mile treasure hunt. Solve the clues. Find the checkpoints. Test your map reading skills. Challenges at checkpoints. Teams of 2-5 people use their skill and judgement to complete the route by answering questions and solving puzzles to find the route to the next checkpoint.

Edinburgh Chase - An annual 15 to 20 mile night navigation exercise undertaken on foot across footpaths and minor roads in North West Kent. Teams of four have to find up to ten checkpoints on a circular route.

The Pathfinder March - An annual 46-mile long-distance walk around the four main Airbases of the Pathfinder Force: RAF Wyton (the HQ), RAF Gravely, RAF Oakington anf RAF Warboys (Training Base). Walkers set off at 4am with 20 hours to complete the walk. It is a gruelling test of strength, stamina and map reading skills.

Nijmegen Marches - The International Four Day Marches Nijmegen is the largest marching event in the world. It is organised every year in Nijmegen in mid-July. Participants walk 30, 40 or 50 kilometers daily, and, on completion, receive a royally approved medal, the 'Vierdaagse Cross'.