How can we pack the most nutritional punch into our food and still make it delicious for the entire family? This is a question I ponder often when I wish to enjoy an occasional indulgence and yet make sure it's full of healthy ingredients – a win win.
I came up with a recipe for muffins that checks oh-so many boxes:
~super tasty
~requires only a single kitchen tool ~gluten-free ~sweetened merely with fruit
~power packed with protein - Yes, mighty lentils! No one will even suspect their presence since their taste and texture blends in so easily with the batter.
This recipe also offers plenty of wiggle room for substitutions based on what you have on-hand in your pantry which is my absolute favorite way to bake. If you'd rather use avocado or olive oil, or even ghee, I encourage it. Go wild with a combination of flours like buckwheat, quinoa or whole wheat! Just be sure to consider the density of each flour if you decide to mix and match. And just like that, you can easily replace an egg with a "flax egg" if you desire a vegan version.
These muffins are delicious warm out of the oven with a dollop of almond butter or a shmear of salted butter (or both together, my favorite). They will stay moist enough to enjoy for a couple days too or else, pop them in the freezer for a treat when the desire strikes!
Banana Blueberry Lentil Muffins
makes 8
1 cup plain cooked lentils (brown or red) – make more to eat later!
2 ripe bananas
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 egg
dash of apple cider vinegar (acv)
2/3 cups oats
1/3 cup almond flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 cup frozen blueberries
Preheat oven to 375. Add lentils and oil to a blender or food processor and mix on a low setting. Add banana, egg and acv and gently mix again. Finally, pour in the remaining dry ingredients and process until smooth but don’t overmix. It’s ok if the oats still maintain their texture. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula. Pour directly into greased muffin tins and bake for roughly 30 min, checking to make sure a knife comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for 5 minutes and eat warm! Yum yum.