GRAB n' GO BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

This recipe is a staple in our home. These subtly sweet muffins are jam-packed with antioxidant-rich blueberries and well-rounded with protein and healthy fat. Sometimes they are breakfast muffins; at other times, they’re birthday cupcakes topped with Cashew Cream (page 907) or Lemon-Vanilla or Dark Chocolate Icing (pages 908 & 909). For a sweeter take, top them with a bit of jam.

I recommend making a double batch of these muffins and freezing half, so they’re ready to grab and go. They’re great heated in the toaster oven, but they’ll defrost just fine in a lunch box, backpack, or gym bag.

INGREDIENTS:

MAKES 36 MINI MUFFINS OR 18 REGULAR-SIZE MUFFINS

• 3⁄4 cup raw pecans or walnuts

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

• 1⁄2 cup pure maple syrup

• 2 large eggs (or 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal plus 1/4 cup water)

• 1 cup mashed banana (approximately 2 large ripe or overripe bananas)

• 1⁄2 cup milk of choice

• 13⁄4 cups whole-wheat flour or all- purpose gluten-free flour (see important note if using gluten-free)

• 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1⁄4 rounded teaspoon salt

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

• 30 drops liquid Stevia
  

Optional flavors

Lemon-Blueberry Muffins:

• Add 1⁄2 teaspoon pure lemon extract plus

• 1⁄2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Chocolate Chip Blueberry Muffins:

• Add a few dark chocolate chips to each muffin or a few handfuls to the batter; you may need to cut back on the blueberries to make room for the chocolate chips.

DIRECTIONS:

1 Preheat the oven to 375°.

2 Grind the pecans in a blender or food processor until fine but not pasty.

3 Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Stir in the maple syrup and allow to cool for a few minutes.

4 In a medium bowl, beat the eggs or prepare your flaxseed-water mixture and let sit for 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in the butter mixture until blended, then whisk in the mashed banana and milk. Mix well.

5 In a large bowl, stir together the ground pecans, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. I like to use a whisk here to make sure there are no clumps of flour or baking soda in the mix. Add the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula just until the batter is evenly moistened. Be careful not to over mix your batter as this can result in dense muffins. Fold in the blueberries and any optional flavorings you’d like.

6 Lightly grease 2 muffin pans with melted butter or coconut oil, or line the pans with paper or silicone muffin liners.

7 Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them three-quarters of the way up. Bake until the muffins are puffed slightly and a toothpick insert- ed in the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes for minis and 25 to 30 minutes for regular-size muffins.

NOTES:

If you make these muffins with gluten-free flour, make sure it does not contain baking powder. If it does don’t add the baking powder called for in the recipe.

This batter can also be baked in mini loaf pans; adjust the baking time accordingly.

Feel free to add dried fruit or pure flavor extracts, like almond or orange.

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