Gnarley Muffins
While they may not be the prettiest muffins you’ve ever laid eyes on, they just might be the healthiest. These little gems are packed with banana, apple and flax seed goodness. For those of you who aren’t nutrition obsessed California dieters, flax seed are rich in fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids which helps protect against heart disease and cancer. In these muffins, flax seed meal (ground up flax seeds) replace butter and oil. How great is that!? No butter, no oil muffins! Just healthy fats in a yummy, moist, fruit muffin!
The fruit in this recipe help to keep the muffins deliciously moist. I used grated apples and mashed bananas, although the recipe calls for carrots instead of bananas. Really, use any reasonable fruit of veggie you like: zucchini, apple, carrot, banana, pear, pineapple. Go crazy!
And! This is also my entry into February’s Weekend Breakfast Blogging Event- created by Saffron Trail and hosted by Tasty Palettes. This month features Healthy Eats, and what could be healthier than fresh fruit and flax seed muffins? Serious Yum.
Gnarley Muffins
adapted from Bob’s Red Mill
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup flax seed meal (if you live near a Trader Joe’s, you can get flaxseed meal and oat bran there!)
3/4 cup oat bran
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded
2 apples peeled and shredded
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Using a wooden spoon, mix together flour, flax seed meal, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. Stir in carrots, apples, raisins and nuts.
3. Combine milk, eggs and vanilla. Pour liquid all at once into the dry/fruit mixture. Stir until ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix.
4. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Yields 15 medium sized muffins.
Healthy trans fat free muffins. Your heart say ‘Thanks!’
10 Responses to “Gnarley Muffins”
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I don’t think I’ve seen a muffin recipe that uses that much flax! You can also replace the oil with applesauce. It’s always good to come across another healthy muffin recipe.
Yum! I love muffins of any kind. I consider them morning cupcakes.
Interesting. Are they dense? Sweet? These would be a great, healthy alternative for my 18-month old daughter who has quite the affinity for cake, cupcakes and all other things sweet. And just the perfect size too.
Ashley- Applesauce is a great alternative too! Thanks for the reminder!
Laurie- Morning cupcakes!… you would. I love it!
Doreen- The cupcakes are sweet (from the fruit) and not terribly dense. They have a texture akin to banana bread. If you try them for your daughter, let me know if she likes them!
Thats one mighty muffin. By flax meal you mean ground flax seeds? Thanks for the entry and the idea. Am certain I will try this out.
This is so funny. I just spoke with my mom yesterday who also made muffins with flaxseed in it. She said, “Did you know that if you use flaxseed, you don’t have to add oil?” Then I come here and see your lovely muffins, so now I have two new delicious recipes! Thanks! I use flaxseed oil as well in breakfast smoothies and salad dressings. Have you tried that?
Suganya- By flaxseed meal I do mean ground up flax seeds. I don’t grind my own flaxseeds, I’m sure you can, but I buy them already ground
Food Blogga- I haven’t used the flaxseed oil yet. I know I should, but I have in my head somewhere that it’s super expensive. I think I’m just being cheap and crazy. I love the breakfast smoothie idea! I’ll bust out the cash for that next time I’m at Whole Foods. Thanks for the suggestion!
I have seen many bakers using these paper cups instead of more traditional pleated paper cups. They look like something you get a sample in from Costco. Any reason for using them?
Because it’s you, I will try these, and because I need those good for me elements (fyi - they are also important for blood pressure and pregnancy).
Thanks for sharing this recipe Joy. I just finished making them and my 13 and 10 year old are all over them!!They taste really great. So moist.I substituted 1/2 the white flour for white/wheat flour and I had no oat bran so I ground up some rolled oats (also I didn’t have banana so I used the carrot!) I have been searching for a while for a healthy and MOIST muffin, with lots o flax! This is the first I have found that was moist. Tasted just like carrot cake. Thanks again. These are “gnarley dude”!