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
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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.”
We’ve been getting some queries as to how to make this recipe dairy-free as well. I’d use apple sauce (make the sauce yourself using our fall bounty of apples!) and use about the same amount or a little less than the yogourt listed. Since we’re close to Thanksgiving, and the squashes are also in season, how about pumpkin or squash puree? Again, use about the same amount. A good rule of thumb is – if it is the consistency and moisture of yogourt, then the same amount. But, if you want more or less flavour then use that as your gauge.
Does anyone else have any other suggestions for what else can be used that they’d like to share?