The idea for these healthy breakfast muffins was as a result of my change of diet. Not that I’d planned to change my diet, it was rather more thrust upon me!
Those of you who are regulars to my humble website will know that I have grown intolerant to dairy and eggs (among other things). I blame my age and years of antidepressants! I digress, the point is that not only have I become intolerant to certain foods, I’ve also found my appetite has decreased. Three square meals a day make me full to bursting point.
I was missing breakfast or lunch or both so that I could stomach eating a full meal with the family in the evenings. Something had to change. So I’ve found that by having a later breakfast, once the school run, dog walking and morning admin is done, is a far better option for me personally.
Some days I’ll enjoy a porridge, like one of my Quick Porridge Oats | 7 Gluten Free Hot Porridge Ideas . Other days I’ll opt for a bagel or two with dairy free cream cheese. Other days, I make these Healthy Breakfast Muffins, which last two to three days.
What makes these gluten free breakfast muffins healthy?
You should ask what doesn’t make them healthy really. Okay, hands up they do have caster sugar in them, but I have made them with coconut sugar in the past when I have it in stock but I didn’t want to assume every Tom, Dick and Harry had coconut sugar in their store cupboards so I’ve made this recipe with my caster sugar version. Feel free to change it for an unrefined sugar you prefer if you like.
These Breakfast Muffins are healthy because they are packed with dried fruit, vegetables, nut butters, nuts and no nasty fats. They are also dairy free and egg free as well as gluten free so many more people can enjoy them [see below to make them nut free too] I’ve added the nutrition label below to highlight the levels of carbs, vitamins and minerals packed into these muffins without even trying to be ultra healthy.
Can I make these breakfast muffins nut free too?
Yes, you can make these breakfast muffins nut free too. I have made these in the past with my home made apple sauce in place of the peanut butter. The apple sauce version is slightly lighter and less fudgy in texture.
To replace the chopped roasted hazelnuts you can use any seeds that you are able to eat safely or swap them for additional gluten free oats.
If oats are an issue for you, then swap for nuts (if able to) or leave out altogether. The oats and nuts act as a texture enhancer, as well as adding nutritional value, so if you can find an alternative to give you muffins an extra bite then please be creative. As always, let me know and come back and comment on any successes you’ve had or thoughts on this recipe.
What other fillings could I use to make these healthy muffins
The options are endless really, as I mentioned above, I encourage you to be creative with your flavours and don’t feel bullied into sticking to what I have used. I’ve added some suitable alternatives below to get those creative sparks flying.
Nut Butters
peanut butter
cashew butter
almond butter
(crunchy or smooth)
Dried Fruits
sultanas
raisins
cherries
goji berries
chopped dates
chopped prunes
Fresh Vegetables
carrot
courgette
beetroot
parsnip
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Other delicious free from breakfast recipe inspiration
Healthy Gluten Free Breakfast Muffins Recipe
Healthy Gluten Free Breakfast Muffins
Ingredients
- 100 g grated carrot
- 100 g gluten free self raising flour
- 70 g peanut butter
- 50 g raisins
- 50 g caster sugar or a sweetener of your choice
- 50 ml dairy free milk I use soya milk
- 50 g dairy free yogurt or 50ml of extra milk
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed or chia seed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp chopped roasted hazelnuts
- 1 tbsp gluten free oats
- ½ tsp white vinegar
- pinch of salt to taste
to top the muffins
- 1 tbsp chopped roasted hazelnuts
- 1 tbsp gluten free oats
- 1 tbsp caster sugar optional to add sweet top to muffin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / 425°F / Gas 7 and grease a 6 hole muffin tin (I use a coconut spray to grease my tins).
- Take a large mixing bowl and simply measure all your ingredients into the one bowl (hold back the extra nuts and oats for your muffin toppings).
- Give the mixture a good stir, it will be a medium to firm batter, if you're worried it's too firm, add a splash of milk to loosen.
- Spoon large table spoons of mixture into each muffin hole, don't worry about filling the tins to the top.
- sprinkle the nuts and oats that you set aside over each muffin and add a sprinkle of sugar to taste if you wish.
- Pop into the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes, they're ready when the muffins have gently risen and have a soft bounce to the touch.
- These can be eaten still warm or once cooled and will keep for a couple of days. On the third day you might light to reheat them for 10 seconds in the oven to freshen them up (you could do that every day so you have lovely warm muffins for breakfast each day)
Nutrition
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Is the white vinegar vital? I don’t have any but will buy if necessary. Can I replace the oats with quinoa flakes? Am totally allergic to oats so advice on replacement in biscuits & cakes would be great, thanks.
The vinegar helps with the rising but you could add a little lemon juice or none at all (introducing acid makes for a fluffier bake). Totally understand regarding the oats. It must be so difficult to shop buy GF products. The idea behind the oats is to add extra fibre and roughage so any other fibre in flake form is excellent – it also adds an extra texture too. Let me know how you get on lovely x