Who Needs Strawberries? Try These Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

One key IC Diet coping strategy is finding new foods to replace those that cause you bladder pain and frequency. I have to admit, I was never a blueberry person. In fact, when my mom made blueberry muffins, she would make two out of the batch without the requisite fruit.

After being diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, however, I learned to not just like blueberries, but love them, not just as a substitute for strawberries, but they are considered a super fruit--full of antioxidants and other healing nutrients. When available, I buy my fresh blueberries from Costco because they are so much cheaper. I also keep blueberries in the freezer and even snack on dried blueberries. Here is one of my favorite recipes from Customizing the Interstitial Cystitis Diet that uses frozen blueberries:

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

• vegetable oil spray
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (natural)
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cups quick cooking oatmeal
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon peel grated
• 1 cup blueberries, thawed from frozen, drained well

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray muffin pans with cooking spray or line with paper cups.

Put drained blueberries on paper towels. Lightly pat berries to remove extra liquid. Place dried blueberries in bowl, dust lightly with flour so they don't bleed into the bread.

Spray muffin cups with vegetable oil or line with muffin papers. Pre-mix all ingredients, stir gently. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes up with few moist crumbs. Makes 12 to 18 muffins.

For more recipes see: Customizing the Interstitial Cystitis Diet or Confident Choices: A Cookbook for IC and OAB

What foods have you found great substitutes for?

Julie Beyer, MA, RDN

Author, Speaker, Patient Advocate

www.ic-diet.com 

Need More IC Recipes?

For step by step guidance for creating your own personal interstitial cystitis meal plan, see: Confident Choices^®: Customizing the Interstitial Cystitis Diet.

For some basic, family-style, IC bladder-friendly recipes, see: Confident Choices^®: A Cookbook for Interstitial Cystitis and Overactive Bladder

For health care workers:  Interstitial Cystitis: A Guide for Nutrition Educators