Paleo Birthday Banana Muffins

These are low sugar grain free banana muffins I made for my niece Malori's birthday back in September (Sorry I haven't blogged in so long!  I've missed you!)  They were definitely a hit!  The cashew butter makes them extra decadent but if you can't find any, substitute almond butter and they will turn out just fine.  The best part about these muffins is that they are the perfect grab and go snack for any time of the day.  We ate them for breakfast.  We ate them after lunch.  We ate them for dessert.  And because they are gluten free, grain free and low sugar; we ate them guilt free!

Happy Birthday to you!  Happy Birthday to you!  Happy Birthday to Malori, Happy Birthday to you!

Ingredients:
3 overripe bananas, mashed
1c cashew butter
1/4c honey
1/3c butter
3 large eggs
1c almond flour
pinch salt
1tsp baking soda

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Beat eggs in a large bowl, add all other ingredients and mix well.
3. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop batter into a cupcake pan lined with cupcake liners until about 3/4 of the way full.
4. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and they feel a bit firm to the touch.
5. Let cook to room temp before serving.  Even better when chilled.  Store in the fridge.

Grain Free Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

These are a delicious low sugar grain free snack that I created using only mashed banana and a few tablespoons of pure natural maple syrup for sweetener.  They are moist, rich, and perfectly chocolatey.  For a more decadent muffin, stir in a few handfuls of rich chocolate chips at the end.  This is my favorite way to use old overripe bananas.  I hope you will try it. 

Is it just me or do these look like they have a halo around them?

Ingredients:
1/4c cocoa
1/2c coconut flour
1tsp baking soda
1/4tsp salt
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2c coconut oil, melted
1/2c semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, melted
1/2c full fat coconut milk or coconut creme
1tbs vanilla extract
2tbs pure maple syrup
2 overly ripe bananas, mashed well
1/4-1/2c chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.  In a large bowl, mix cocoa, coconut flour, baking soda and salt. 
2. In another bowl, beat banana, egg, yolk, coconut milk, vanilla and maple syrup.
3. In a third glass bowl, melt chocolate and oil in the microwave and then stir until well combined (do it in 1 minute intervals).  Let cool slightly.
4. Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredient bowl and mix.  Slowly pour in the melted chocolate oil mixture while whisking until well combined.  For a more decadent muffin, stir in a few handfuls of extra chocolate chips at the end.
5. Line a cupcake baking sheet with 12 cupcake liners.  Using an ice cream scooper.  Scoop even amounts into the cups.  Bake in the center of a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.  You will know they are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and they feel slightly spongy to the touch, not wiggly and wet.  Take out of the baking sheet and let cool.  Keep leftovers refrigerated.

Paleo Lemon Honey Muffins

There's not much better than a fresh lemon muffin for breakfast.  These are fresh, easy, and delicious.  Oh, did I mention they are refined sugar and grain free?  Awesome.

A delicious treat

Ingredients:
1/2c coconut flour
1/4c organic non-hydrogenated shortening, melted
1/4c butter, melted
6 large eggs
3tbs fresh lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
2tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
1/4tsp baking soda
1/2c pure honey (from the USA)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.  In a large bowl, melt butter and shortening.  Add coconut flour and stir.  Add lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, salt and baking soda.  Using a hand mixer, add eggs and honey and beat until smooth and thick. 
2. Scoop batter evenly into muffin cups (will make 12 muffins) and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and they are lightly toasted on top.

Grain-Free Banana Nut Muffins

I've made banana bread.  I've made banana almond muffins.  But I was yet to make your traditional banana nut muffin.  So here it is:  A super moist and tender banana cake with crunchy walnuts.  These are paleo style of course, meaning they are made without any grains or refined sugar.  They are delicious warm out of the oven or chilled.  Store extras in the fridge or freezer.  Enjoy!

A tasty treat to use up your over-ripened bananas!

Ingredients:
1/2c coconut flour
1/2tsp salt
1/4tsp baking soda
6 large eggs
1tbs vanilla extract
1/3c pure maple syrup
1/4c organic non-hydrogenated shortening (I use Spectrum brand)
2 medium or large over-ripened bananas, mashed
1/2c chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a large bowl, stir coconut flour, salt and baking soda.
3. In another bowl, mix eggs, vanilla, maple syrup, and mashed bananas with a hand mixer.
4. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry and continue to mix.  Melt your shortening and pour in.  Mix well.  At the end, stir in 1/2c chopped walnuts.
5. Line 12 cupcake holders with liners.  Using an ice cream scooper, scoop an even amount of batter into each liner.  Top with a few more walnuts.  Bake in the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or about 15-20 minutes.  Note, these little guys don't really brown so they look a bit underdone when you take them out.  Make sure you toothpick check them because they are easy to overcook and then they will be dry  Enjoy!

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

One of my top 5 favorite recipes of all time is my Blueberry Lemon Money Bread, but sadly it is filled with gluten and I can never eat it (well... never say never this dessert is worth the pain and guilt I endure when I do make it but I try not to do it too often).  Still, I was determined to create a paleo friendly and gluten free version of this delicious bread, so I came up with these blueberry lemon muffins.  No, they are not as good as my original recipe, but they did satisfy the craving I was having and they do taste fresh and delicious.  Please enjoy.

The fresh lemon flavor is wonderful with the sweetness of the blueberries

Ingredients (makes 6 muffins):
2 eggs, yolk and whites separated
1/4c almond butter
1/4c coconut flour
1/3c honey
1c almond meal/flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
1tsp vanilla extract
3tbs butter, softened (preferably from grass fed beef)
1/3-1/2c blueberries (frozen or fresh - frozen take longer to cook)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a muffin tin with muffin liners.  Beat egg yolks in a large bowl.  Add almond butter, coconut flour, honey, baking soda, salt, lemon juice and zest, vanilla extract and butter.  When combined, stir in almond flour.
2. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.  Fold them into the batter.  Then fold in blueberries.
3. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop batter into the muffin tin (about 3/4 full) and bake for 18-20 minutes (the center of the muffins will come out clean when pierced with a toothpick).  Remove from pan and cool.  Keep leftovers in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Carrot Cake Muffins

There is nothing more wonderful than a rich, moist slice of carrot cake.  Of course, being obsessed with pumpkin, I was inspired to make a carrot cake muffin with a Halloween twist:  pumpkin!  The secret to the perfect grain and refined-sugar free muffin is in this delicious recipe.  My husband and I enjoyed these for breakfast this morning after a long bike ride.  What a wonderful way to start your Saturday morning! 

The perfect treat for a Saturday morning breakfast!

Ingredients:
2c shredded carrots, pulsed in a food processor until finely ground
1c pureed pumpkin
1c almond butter (I used Trader Joe's almond butter with roasted flax seeds but any kind will work)
1/4c honey
1/4c agave nectar
2 eggs
1 1/2tsp baking soda
2tsp vanilla extract
1/2-1 tsp cinnamon
1/2c chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F.  Line a muffin tin with muffin cups (makes 12).
2. In a large bowl, mix carrots, pumpkin, almond butter, honey, agave and eggs.  Add in baking soda, vanilla and cinnamon and mix well.  Finally, fold in walnuts.
3. With an ice cream scooper, pour even scoops of batter into the muffin cups.  Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from tin and let cool.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

In Celebration of Fall: Pear Corn Muffins

I can't decide whether I want it to be fall or summer so I keep flip flopping and making both summer and fall seasonal recipes.  Pear is a wonderful fall fruit that takes center stage in this moist muffin.  It's a tender moist bite with a rich candy-like-pear flavor.  What a perfect way to celebrate the end of summer.

Celebrate the fruits of fall with a pear muffin!

Ingredients:
2c peeled, cored and diced rip pears (I used 4 small pears)
3/4c corn flour (substitute cornmeal if desired)
3/4c sorghum flour
1/4c tapioca starch
1tsp sea salt
1tbs baking powder
1tsp ground cinnamon
1/4c canola oil
1 ripe banana, peeled and mashed
1/3c buttermilk (use hemp, rice or soy if vegan)
2/3c brown sugar
1tbs vanilla extract
raw sugar, to sprinkle on top

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line muffin tin with muffin cups (12).
2. In a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (except sugar).  In another bowl, beat together wet ingredients and brown sugar.  Add the wet mixture into the dry and beat until well blended (batter will be thick).  Stir in the pears evenly.
3. I use an ice cream scooper to drop in batter into the prepared cups (they will be pretty full).  Sprinkle with raw sugar and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. Remove muffins from pan as soon as possible to keep from getting soggy at the bottom.  Continue to cool.  Wrap and freeze to store.

Raw Sugar makes a wonderful crunchy crust on top

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

I love blueberry muffins.  When I would vacation with my family as a child, I always ordered a blueberry muffin for breakfast.  It was my favorite treat.  I still think it's hard to compete with the smell of fresh muffins right out of the oven.  I have perfected an original blueberry muffin recipe years ago but this time I was determined to make it gluten free.  The result is a moist rich flavorful cake chock-full of blueberries.  Nope, I don't even miss the gluten.

This muffin has a soft moist center full of blueberries with a slightly crunchy top

 Ingredients (for about 24 muffins):
3/4c white sugar
1/4c blue agave nectar
10tbs butter, softened
2 large eggs
2tsp vanilla extract
1c white sorghum flour
1c tapioca flour
1c white rice flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/2c vanilla greek yogurt (I used Chobani Vanilla Yogurt)
2-3c frozen or fresh blueberries
Raw sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F.   Whisk together the flours, powder, soda and salt in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until just creamed (over creaming them will prevent the muffins from rising)
3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one.  Add the vanilla and mix.
4. Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet.  Mix well.  Then add 1/3 of the yogurt and mix well.  Then follow with 1/2 of the remaining dry ingredients and mix again.  Continue to do this until all yogurt and flour is mixed well.

Alternative:  Pour some batter into oiled ramekins for little cakes

5. Add in 2-3c blueberries and fold in gently.
6. Oil a muffin tin and sprinkle with cornstarch or line them with muffin cups.  Fill each muffin tin 2/3 full.  Sprinkle the raw sugar on the tops of each muffin (this gives it the most delectable crust).
7. Bake the muffins in the center of the oven for anywhere from 20-30 minutes depending on where you live, your oven temp, and if you used frozen or fresh blueberries.  They are done when the tops are golden and hardening and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
8. Remove from the tins as soon as possible (leaving them in there they will continue to cook and can get soggy).  Store in an airtight container or freeze the leftovers.