Amazing Blueberry Muffins

Its been quite grey and stormy here in the Pacific Northwest. Due to the unusual dry summer months, the trees are less sturdy in our gusty winds. More than usual they are crashing left and right along my favorite running path. Although I love being outside in the stormy weather, it is also intimidating, wondering whether or not the beautiful mossy tree above me will too come crashing down. Regardless I still lace up my shoes and go run anyways. After a blistery, windy run, pink cheeks, and a runny nose, I am ready to cozy down, and warm up the house with some baking.

Luckily in my freezer, I still have loads of blueberries that I picked last August with my mother. They are smaller and sweeter than usual because of the lack of rain during the summer months. To me they taste like candy. These dark beauties will be the perfect addition to some hearty, fiber rich muffins...gluten free of course.

I rarely eat muffins out. And if I do I usually share most of it with my husband. Muffins these days are ENORMOUS, two to three times as big as they need to be. Also, they are usually super sweet, made with refined flours, and lacking in fiber and protein. Therefore, making them at home will ensure they are a healthy and nutrient dense snack or breakfast item.

Getting enough protein in the mornings is important to help stabilize blood sugars throughout the day. Often times we grab easy things like muffins, toast, cereal, etc that are neither rich in protein nor rich in fiber. These foods quickly increase our blood sugar and immediately cause a blood sugar crash….and then guess what we do? We grab some more sugar or some coffee to bring us back up. And the viscous cycle continues….

On the other hand, if you start your morning with a protein and fiber rich breakfast, your blood sugar remains stable until your next meal. And guess what? You have more consistent energy without the extra coffee or sugar laden snack. Often times I recommend a savory breakfast, such as dinner left overs, scrambled eggs, or even this tempeh telur. However, some people still want a healthy alternative for their traditional breakfast staples.

This AMAZING blueberry muffin is not only rich in fiber and higher in protein than traditional muffin recipes, but also contains a lot less sugar. Each muffin contains about 300 calories, 28g of carbohydrates, 5g of fiber, 20g fat, and 8g of protein. Now lets compare that to Starbuck’s Blueberry Muffin which has 380 calories, 53g of carbohydrates, 1g of fiber, 16g of fat, and 6g of protein. Night and day, right?

Although these muffins are very healthy and hearty, I still would recommend eating additional protein for a complete breakfast meal. For instance ½ cup of Greek yogurt, 2 scrambled eggs, or even some hydrolyzed collagen stirred into your morning cup of tea or coffee will do. And if you are like me, a warm blueberry muffin with a little pat of organic pasture raised butter, just tastes sooo darn good.

Amazing Blueberry Muffins

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

1 cup almond flour** (with flecks)

1 cup cornmeal (not too fine and not too coarse)

¼ cup golden flaxseeds

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 large eggs

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup maple syrup

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup frozen blueberries, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl mix together the first 7 dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, olive oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until well combined. Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold in the cup of frozen blueberries.

Line a muffin pan with baking cups or brush each with butter or oil. Spoon the muffin mixture evenly into 8 muffin cups (can also try for 10 or 12 but they will be quite small). Top each muffin with a couple extra blueberries and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

**If you want to make this recipe grain free, you can swap the cornmeal for an additional cup of almond flour.