hurrah! healthy {and delicious} muffins

Let's face it. Finding recipes for healthy muffins (less fat, no cane sugar, less or no wheat flour) can be tough. But by golly, I think I've found some good 'uns. I was on a mission on Friday to find make some goodies for the holidays and found and adapted the following recipes to suit what I had in the pantry.

You could also adjust your ingredients but be sure to adjust them like-for-like. Instead of LSA mix, you could use ground flax seeds or almond meal. Instead of honey, you could use maple syrup. Instead of almond meal, you could use LSA. Instead of raisins, you could use cranberries; you get the idea.

Remember the muffin golden rule: don't over-mix and don't over-bake. These will keep 5 days (longer in fridge) or wrap well and freeze for up to three months.

Have fun trying these out over the school holidays! And rest easy in the knowledge that you and the kids are eating something delicious AND packed with vitamins and minerals.

sugar-free with a hint of raspberry

Lovely, light and fluffy, these are flavoursome but not sickly sweet. Add berry puree for an intensified berry flavour or yoghurt for calcium. The spelt flour bakes beautifully.

ingredients.

1 cup spelt flour

1 cup whole oats

1 tsp baking powder

I tsp baking soda

2 tblsp Natvia or Stevia powder

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch salt

¾ C coconut cream or milk of your choice

¼ cup coconut oil or 50g butter

1 cup sugarless berry puree or apple puree or 1 cup natural Greek yoghurt

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup frozen raspberries 

method.

Add all dry ingredients to a food processor and blend for 10 seconds. Add wet ingredients and blend another 10 seconds. Bake in 180C/350F oven for 15 – 18 mins, testing regularly. They are done when they spring back. Will make around 16 small muffins.

carrot and ginger

These were my favourite by far. Soft, light, fluffy, packed with flavour.

ingredients.

1 cup wholemeal or whole-wheat flower

½ cup rolled oats

2 tsp baking powder

3 tsp powdered ginger

¼ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup applesauce or natural Greek yoghurt

1/3 cup honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup coconut oil

2 cups shredded carrots

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

½ cup raisins or currants or chopped pistachios

method.

Process carrots in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs. Mix together dry ingredients. Whisk eggs then add wet ingredients including carrot, coconut and raisins. Mix together wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Bake in 180C/350F oven for 25 – 30 mins, testing regularly. They are done when they spring back. Delicious at room temperature. Makes 12 – 14 small muffins.

coconut, prune + banana

Without eggs or raising agents, these muffins are dense with a large crumb (like a scone) but would be amazing heated and smeared with a little butter. The title ingredients give lots of punches of natural sweetness, especially if you leave the prune chunks quite large. You could also use dates or other dried fruit (cranberries, raisins) instead of prunes.

ingredients.

1¼ cup whole wheat or spelt flour

1¾ cup buckwheat flour

½ cup soy flour

1 tbsp baking powder

½ cup shredded coconut

6 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp ground flax seed

1½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

2 large bananas

1 cup chopped prunes

½ cup coconut oil

5 tbsp honey or agave syrup (I used Elderflower syrup), or two big squirts Stevia liquid

1½ cups almond, rice or soy milk

method.

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Mash bananas then add chopped dates and wet ingredients. Mix till just combined. Bake in 180C/350F oven for around 15 – 20 mins, testing regularly with a toothpick for uncooked centre. Will make around 18 small muffins.