Muffins are definitely a guilty pleasure,
but what if we told you that we have a muffin recipe that isn’t only on
the healthier side, but is also ridiculously easy to prepare and needs
very little cleanup. This recipe is dairy free and it also replaces part
of the flour with almond flour, which results in a denser (and
healthier) muffin.
They also contain healthy plant oils and
nuts, full of the essential omega 3 fats and fiber, dried cranberries,
carrots and ginger rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and healthy plant
compounds. True, we do use eggs, minimal quantities of whole wheat flour
and added sugar in this recipe, which means that you won’t be able to
survive on these muffins exclusively (I know I want to), but we stand by
the belief that it’s still a good idea to stick to healthier
alternatives, especially when you’re craving sweets so badly your hand
is reaching for cookies as you read this.
As is the case with all of our recipes, this recipe can be prepared in 1
bowl and it’s ready in a blink of an eye (sadly also gone in a blink
because they’re so delicious). Finally, here is the recipe:
Dry Ingredients
½ cup (50 g) almond flour*
2 cups (250 g) whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
*I don’t buy ready-made almond flour. Instead, I wizz some almonds in my
blender until they form a powder. If any bigger almond bits remain,
don’t worry, they will give your muffins some extra crunch, yum!
Wet Ingredients
1 cup (240 ml) soy milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
¾ cup (150 g) brown sugar
2 eggs
½ cup (125 g) applesauce
¼ cup (60 ml) coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (optional)
“Filling”
1 cup (50 g) shredded carrots (about 2 small carrots)
¾ cup (90g) unsweetened dried cranberries
1 cup (150 g) chopped walnuts (reserve half for the topping)
Equipment: a lined 12 muffin tin
Preparation:
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Step 2. Prepare the soy buttermilk by whisking the soy milk with vinegar
and letting it thicken for about 10 minutes until it resembles
buttermilk.
Step 3. In a large bowl, combine and mix all the wet ingredients
together until smooth, adding in the buttermilk last.
Step 4. Sift in all the dry ingredients, whisking the batter until
smooth and glossy, but it’s crucial not to overmix the batter because it
won’t rise as it’s supposed to.
Step 5. Add in all the ingredients from the “filling” section and work
them in gently with a spatula.
Step 6. Divide your batter evenly into the lined muffin tray, topping
each muffin with some of the walnuts you reserved. Bake the muffins in
the midsection of the oven for 18-20 minutes. The top of a
perfectly-cooked muffin should be domed and golden brown, and the edges
of the muffin should pull away slightly from the edges of the muffin
tin.
Step 7. Take the muffins out of the oven and let them cool down for at
least 10 minutes before taking them out. Enjoy warm or cold, I love to
combine these with morning coffee, so delicious!