This guest post is from our favorite ladies, Natalie and Holly, over at The Modern Proper. Their mission is to reinvent proper for the modern homemaker, one delicious meal at a time. Check out more of their delicious recipes here. 
Guys, the morning struggle is real. Somewhere along the way, I think I stopped being a morning person. (I have a sneaking suspicion it was around the time I had kids and my sleep began getting robbed from me on a nightly basis, but who knows?) And as ashamed as I am to admit it, most mornings it’s a poopy diaper that finally gets me out of bed. That or breaking up a fight. It’s not something I’m proud of. In my head I’m that mom that’s up before all the kids, laying out clothes, getting a quick load of dishes in, checking my email while sipping some hot coffee, and making a hearty breakfast for everyone to wake up to. But the truth is, I’m a stay up way too late catching up on Netflix once the house is finally quiet kind of mom. Yikes. The truth hurts. They say admitting you have a problem is the first step right? So, now that I have that out of the way, I’m happy to share a few ways I’ve been able to be just a little lazy in the morning and still properly care for my kids. (I know, lofty goals, right?) I’ve learned I’m just better at night. I’d much rather burn the midnight oil getting those dishes and laundry and work done than set an alarm and wake up early. I started doing my meal prep in the evenings and it’s been a game changer. I make the kid’s lunches the night before, and when possible, their breakfasts, too. Hard-boiled eggs are a big winner at our house lately. My six and three year olds think cracking and peeling their own eggs, and then controlling how much salt they put on them (it’s a lot...but I’ve learned to pick my battles) is a blast. A few times a week I also like to bake something in the evenings for them to have in the mornings that can be taken with us when we are particularly rushed. It makes me feel like I’m still doing my part to give them a homemade breakfast even when I’m not up with the rooster.
I discovered the recipe for these whole wheat banana muffins made with buttermilk not long ago and they’ve been a bit hit. They’re hearty, moist and delicious, flavorful enough that the kids gobble them up quickly, and healthy enough that I can give myself a little pat on the back. Mornings during the school year can be hard. With my husband leaving for work before the sun rises I’m left to dress and feed four humans on my own. Most days I’m breaking a sweat before 7:30 AM, but you know what? Caring and caring well for my little people is my passion. I don’t always nail it, but I do always try. So no, there’s no fresh pancakes waiting for my kid’s each morning, but there are these muffins. I’m trying my best and squeezing in as much extra sleep as I can along the way. Mommy loves you kids, now go grab yourself a muffin and close my door behind you.
Whole-Wheat Banana Oatmeal Muffins with Toasted Coconut and Honey Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients: 1 cup sugar ½ cup butter melted 2 eggs 3 (very ripe) bananas 3 tbsp buttermilk 1 tsp baking soda ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup quick cooking oats ⅓ cup large flake coconut ¼ cup honey 2 tsp flake salt
Method: Heat oven to 325° F. Grease and flour muffin tin. In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and whisk each in until fully incorporated. Add the buttermilk and stir to combine. Add the baking soda, flours, and oats. Stir just enough to no longer see any dry bits of flour. Scoop into the muffin tins and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the muffins from the oven and sprinkle with coconut. Place them back in the oven until they are fully cooked and the coconut is beginning to brown along the edges, about 5 minutes longer. When the muffins are done, drizzle them with honey and sprinkle them with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
