Those who know me know that I abhor muffins!  Don’t get me wrong – I actually LOVE muffins - but I abhor that what you find out there are routinely made with too much sugar, are filled with too much fat and, therefore, have way too many calories for any body to utilize effectively.

Even many recipes professing to be good for you are loaded with fat and sugar!  My favourite nickname for muffins is “Cake Wads” because they're mini cakes and most often those muffins end up – you guessed it – expanding your muffin top!

Once I finally realized how deadly most muffins really were, I was saddened because I knew I wouldn’t be eating them and they are such a great "on-the-go" snack idea, never mind a quick breakfast for those days when you're late getting started on your day.

Over the past 5 years my husband, Ron, has been trying to create the perfect healthy, clean, but "low in fat, sugar and calories" muffin.  But, as an added challenge, I wanted him to also make it gluten free.  He took on the challenge and, with myself and a few others as the official "taste testers", he's been trying new recipes.

We think he's finally done it!  The recipe below is not only all of what I say it is, but the muffin top is a bit crunchy too!  The muffins are a nice darker brown colour (unlike some of the other flours which produce a pale muffin), they're gluten free and you can even add the left over fibre from your raw veggie juicing to add even more goodness.

These muffins are the full meal deal in that they combine the complex carbohydrates AND protein (using hemp hearts and the chickpea flour) so that one muffin gives you all the value you need for a meal/snack without the insulin spike or lingering hunger a sugar filled, white flour muffin gives you.

Enjoy!  And please let me know what you think of your final product!  I’m stoked and would love to hear from you!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup        Olive or grapeseed oil1 ½  cups     Yogurt (organic, plain and low-fat) 3                  Eggs (organic) 2 tsp.           Vanilla 1/3 - ½ cup   Maple Syrup (Organic) 3 cups          Carrots - grated (can substitute zucchini) 1                  Orange or apple 1                  Banana

1 1/2 cups   Garbanzo bean flour¾ cup        Steel cut oats ¾ cup        Rolled oats ½ cup        Oat bran ½ cup        Hemp hearts 1 tsp          Baking powder 2 tsp          Baking soda 2 tsp          Cinnamon 2 tsp          Nutmeg

 Preparations:

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine oil, yogurt, and maple syrup in a large bowl.  Mix well.

In a food processor, grate the carrots and apple (if using instead of orange).

In a blender, blend the eggs, vanilla, banana and orange.  Stir this mixture into the other wet ingredients and then mix in the grated carrots (or zucchini).

In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, oats, bran, hemp hearts, spices, baking powder and baking soda).

Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet and mix well.  Spoon the batter into muffin cups.

Bake for approximately 35 - 40 minutes, or until the muffins are brown.  Allow muffins to cool, in the pan, for about ten (10) minutes before removing from the pan.

Additional ingredients (i.e. raisins, ground flax seeds, blueberries, chopped nuts, etc.) may be added for flavour or extra protein if desired.

Makes approximately 14 - 18 muffins (depending on what additional ingredients are used and how full you fill the cups).

Loreli loves to exercise and loves to eat too!  Her fitness company, Alter Ego Fitness Experience, offers Personal Training, Group Fitness (boot camp) and YogaFit training options.  Loreli is very aware, due to personal experience, of the value of healthy food that not only nourishes the body, but also nourishes the mind and pleases the palate!

“One cannot think well, love well, or sleep well, if one has not dined well.”