Raspberry Almond Oat Muffins

Disclaimer:  Lisa and I are consulting dietitians for the National Processed Raspberry Council.

Aside from it being Easter this weekend, it’s also my Mom’s birthday.

As I’ve gotten older, more and more people tell me how much I’m like her. And despite my bratty 14-year-old self denying the inevitability of this happening (I think we’re all happy those teenage years are long gone), I now take it is one of the kindest compliments I could hear.

My mom not only makes growing older look really, really easy (I have to admit that I’ve got great genes!), she’s also one of the most supportive, optimistic, and caring people I know.

One thing I know for certain is that I inherited Mom’s tastebuds. Some of our favorite foods include: carrot cake, anything Mediterranean, peanut butter, walnuts, almonds, avocados, sweet potatoes, raspberries, pears, and really good bread.

To celebrate Easter and the people in life that we love, here’s a recipe with all the good stuff.

Raspberry Almond Oat Muffins

These muffins are incredibly easy to whip up and make for a perfect afternoon snack or breakfast on-the-go.

Makes 6 muffins

Ingredients:

dry:

1 cup oat flour

1/4 cup almond flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cardamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of salt

1/4 cup slivered almonds

wet:

1 medium banana - mashed

1 egg

1/4 cup low fat plain yogurt

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup frozen raspberries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease muffin pans.

2. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl.

3. In separate bowl whisk wet ingredients together.

4. Combine dry and wet ingredients together and spoon into muffin pans.

5. Bake about 25 minutes until golden brown.

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Chocolate Raspberry Muffins

A few years ago, McKenzie gave me Kim Boyce’s Good to the Grain cookbook for my birthday.  It’s become a butter-stained staple in my kitchen.  I have loved experimenting with the recipes, because they are all wholesome baked goods made from good, simple ingredients.  And because the cookbook is divided by types of flours, it’s a great way to experiment with cooking with different grains. 

My Granny is visiting this week, before we go to my aunt’s house for Thanksgiving.  I thought I’d make a little (not too) sweet treat to enjoy with our coffee in the morning.  And since my husband loves chocolate, these muffins sounded just right.

I adapted the recipe from the Chocolate Persimmon Muffins recipe from the cookbook.  Living in a small town, persimmons aren’t readily available.  But I always have a bag of frozen raspberries in my freezer.  I also switched out the all-purpose flour for whole wheat pastry flour, to add additional fiber to the recipe. 

I love the fact that these muffins are not very sweet, which makes them perfect for breakfast or a coffee break.  They don’t taste like dessert.  They are also delicious toasted and spread with butter and raspberry jam.  In fact, that’s when they’re best.

Chocolate Raspberry Muffins

Adapted from Kim Boyce’s Good to the Grain

Makes 12 muffins

Butter for the tins

1 cup buckwheat flour

1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

3 cups frozen raspberries

¾ stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces

¼ cup dark brown sugar

¼ cup sugar (I used coconut sugar)

2 eggs

½ cup plain yogurt, 2% or whole

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cup into pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Rub the inside of a 12-cup muffin tin with butter.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, sea salt and baking soda.

Place 2 cups of the raspberries in a glass bowl and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thawed.  Mash the raspberries to make a pulp.

Add the butter and sugars to the bowl of stand mixer (or use a hand mixer).  Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.  Add the eggs and mix until creamy.  Add the yogurt and raspberry pulp and mix until combined.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until just combined.  Add the chocolate pieces and the remaining 1 cup of raspberries.  Stir those into the mixture until evenly combined.

Scoop the batter into the muffin tin, evenly distributing it between the 12 cups.  Make for 30 minutes, or until the muffin tops spring back lightly when pressed.  Take the tins out of the oven.  Remove the muffins and let them cool slightly on a wire rack.  They are best served warm, or reheated in a toaster oven and spread with butter.

Enjoy, preferably with someone you love! 

Disclaimer: We were not compensated for this post. All opinions are our own.  We are the consulting dietitians for the National ProcessedRed Raspberry Council, but we're sharing this recipe simply because we love it! 

Raspberry Coconut Carrot Cake Muffins – Gluten Free & No Added Sugars

Every week, I visit one of our local corporations to meet with employees for a nutrition class.  We discuss a topic—everything ranging from how to stock a healthy pantry to Vitamin D to improving your mood with food—and I bring a sample of a healthy recipe for everyone to taste.  Some recipes are a huge hit (rice and black bean salad) and some…not-so-much (avocado green smoothie).  Not surprising!   

The recipes they really love are ones that are simple, use everyday ingredients, and offer make-ahead options for healthy meals and snacks.  For people who wake at 4:30 a.m. to go to work, easy healthy breakfasts are a priority.  That’s how this recipe evolved.   

These muffins are grain-free (gluten-free) with no added sugar.  They get protein from almond flour and eggs, and they are loaded with fiber from the almond flour, dates, bananas, carrots and raspberries.  The coconut and coconut oil provides a healthy source of fat, but you can also make these muffins substituting the coconut oil for extra virgin olive oil and the coconut for chopped nuts.  They are delicious that way, too.

And they are easy, easy!  The only downside to this recipe is that almond flour can be expensive.  Look for it in the bulk bins of your local grocery store and it is likely to cost less.  Or, watch for it to go on sale and then stock up.  Just be sure to store opened bags of almond flour in the freezer, because it can go bad quickly.

I made this recipe into mini-muffins (good for kids and snacks), but you can easily make them into larger muffins and just bake them longer.  And if you need extra calories in your morning breakfast (like many of the guys in my class do), just spread a little nut or seed butter on them.    

I hope this recipe makes it easier for you to have a healthy, protein- and fiber-packed breakfast in the morning.

Raspberry Coconut Carrot Cake Muffins

Makes about 28 mini-muffins

2 cups almond flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon ginger

1 cup dates, pitted

2 ripe bananas

3 eggs

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1 ½ cups carrots, unpeeled and shredded

1 cup unsweetened, flaked coconut

1 cup frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place foil muffin cups on a baking sheet or place liners in muffin tins.  

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and ginger.

In a food processor, combine dates, bananas, eggs, vinegar and coconut oil.

Add the mixture from the food processor to the dry mixture in the large bowl and stir to combine.  Fold in the carrots, flaked coconut and frozen raspberries. 

Spoon the mixture evenly into paper into the muffin liners.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are just starting to brown. 

Although we do work with the National Raspberry Council, we were not compensated for this post.  

All our opinions are our own.  We really do just love raspberries!

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Both Lisa and I moved into new homes in 2013.  There's no doubt that moving can be a pretty exhausting process; a friend recently told me that her worst nightmare would involve her moving for hours on end in high heels –   that does paint a pretty scary image. Yet, unpacking each box and slowly adding those unique personal touches to a new home is so satisfying and comforting. It wasn’t long after moving into our new places, that we were eager to put our kitchens to good use. There’s something about the sweet smell of freshly baked cookies or muffins or the savory scent of roasted veggies or a pot of soup on the stove that can make any place feel like home – regardless of how settled (or not!) you are.

I whipped up a batch of these muffins last weekend – after spending a relaxing day crossing things off my to-do list. I’m definitely more "moved-in" now, but baking still makes me feel at home.

Hope you enjoy! (preferably with those you love).

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Muffins

The mashed avocado in this recipe is a nutrient-rich and delicious substitute for butter.The bananas also provide so much naturally occurring sweetness, there’s no need for much added sugar. Don’t let this super healthy ingredients list deter you – the end product is so satisfying.

Ingredients:

1 medium ripe avocado, mashed

2 medium very ripe bananas, mashed

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup reduced fat milk

1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup sugar

¼ cup ground flax seeds

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

½ cup dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

Instructions:

1.      Heat oven to 375 degrees.

2.      In a large bowl, combine avocado, bananas, eggs, and milk. Mix well.

3.      In a second large bowl, combine the flour, oats, sugar, flax seeds, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.

4.      Slowly incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Be careful not to over mix as it can make your muffins less fluffy and more tough.

5.      Add in the chocolate chunks.

6.      Spoon out mix into prepared muffin tins.

7.      Bake for approximately 15 -20 minutes, or until tops are slightly brown and when a toothpick is inserted in the middle, it comes out clean.

Coconut Apple Pecan Muffins

At this time of year, we all have a very long to-do list—shopping for Christmas presents, putting up the Christmas decorations, holiday parties, baking…  The list goes on.

One of the ways you can be nice to yourself during the holiday season is to keep healthy, nutritious food on hand, so you’re not tempted by the vending machines or drive through windows.  Stock your fridge with ready-to-eat vegetables and fruits, yogurt, homemade granola, hummus and other healthy snacks.

These Coconut Apple Pecan Muffins make a great fiber- and protein-packed breakfast or snack.  They are delicious on their own, or spread with a little homemade jam.  I made them with coconut oil, just to reinforce the coconut flavor.  But, you can definitely use butter.  If you don't have buttermilk on hand, just mix 1 cup of whole milk with a teaspoon of lemon juice.  It works just fine.  

  

We hope you enjoy these muffins, and that they help to keep you sane—and nourished—over the next few weeks!

Coconut Apple Pecan Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour

¼ cup ground flax seed

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk or, 1 cup whole milk + 1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 large apples, grated (peel on)

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease the inside of a 12-muffin cup tin with coconut oil and set aside.

Mix together the flour, flax seed, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream the coconut oil with the granulated sugar and the brown sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the egg and mix well, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.  Mix in the buttermilk gently. Stir in the dry ingredients, just until combined.  Be careful not to over mix or the muffins will be dense.  Fold in the apple, pecans and coconut.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.  Bake for 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 400 degrees, and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Cool the muffins for a few minutes in the tin, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Real Food Sweeteners

We like giving Martha Stewart a run for her money in the baking department. Nothing is quite as comforting as a house that smells of freshly baked cookies or a warm pie out of the oven. We love baking at home because we know exactly what we’re putting into the recipe, and subsequently, our bodies.

When it comes to choosing ingredients to put in our homemade goodies, we generally like to stick to ingredients that are as real as possible. That is, choosing unrefined and unprocessed ingredients such as whole grain flours and unrefined sweeteners whenever we can.

These are some of our favorite sweeteners.

Honey has a satisfying flavor that adds moisture to baked goods. It contains antioxidants and micronutrients that are good for your health. More on our love of honey here.
Maple syrup is naturally made from sugar maple trees, and is useful for baking and flavoring in sauces.
Blackstrap molasses is a rich, less-processed sweetener that contains many health-promoting nutrients like iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium.
Unrefined sugar, or succanat, is made from cane juice and resembles brown sugar.  It is a healthier alternative to refined sweeteners.

If you enjoy to bake like us, allow yourself to enjoy one serving of your finished product; and then, to reduce temptation, freeze the rest. Cookies & muffins freeze well and make for a great snack or little treat when you’re craving something sweet. Take comfort in knowing you can enjoy your hard work over time and when you really want it.

And now, for a recipe.

 If you haven’t noticed by now how much we appreciate Cynthia Lair's real food focused recipes, here is her recipe for Pumpkin Pecan Muffins. This recipe calls for honey, molasses, and unrefined cane sugar – all sweeteners we fully appreciate. We love these muffins as a snack or for breakfast when we're on the go. As Cynthia says, “molasses and honey and cinnamon and nutmeg and butter made into muffins entice some love bites from your family.”

Use whole grain flours whenever possible to add some whole grain goodness.

As Cynthia says, "don't marry your dry and wet ingredients until it's just the right moment." Also, try keeping your mixing to a minimum. The secret to a good muffin  texture is using as few strokes to mix as possible.

Notice the Nourish colors? That may  or may not have been intentional...