If you’re in the mood for something chocolatey– these flavourful muffins are the perfect fit for you! They can easily become a great and nutritious snack or a breakfast. They are easy to take with, made out of wholesome gluten-free ingredients, and really delicious!
First of all, Happy New Year all! May this year will be great for all of us. My focus these days as I mentioned in my previous post is on generating more love and gratitude toward the world and more importantly toward myself. I wish everyone of you started this year with intentions which resonate in your heart.
While in the US the majority of people are slowly getting used to their work routines, in Russia holidays are just about to be over. I know how many of you, my Russian friends, are excited about this upcoming weekend)).
So, this recipe is happened to be slightly festive, but at the same time really healthy. Recently, I have concocted it for my family’s Orthodox Christmas celebration which was on January 7th. Everyone loved it which made my heart sing. That was one the reasons why this recipe appeared here.
My intention was to create an easy and versatile muffin recipe. Even though, from first sight you might think that these muffins are a bit complicated to make, they are not. If cranberry jam is already made, it takes no longer than 15 minutes to prepare (combine wet and dry ingredients) and then about 20 minutes to bake.
To make it gluten free I have used some rolled oats and amaranth flour. I also tried to make it with quinoa flour and the muffins turned out great as well. So, it is your choice what kind of gluten free flour to use.
Chocolate and Cranberry Muffins (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- Dry ingredients
- ***
- 1 cup of raw hazelnuts walnuts, pecans
- 1 cup of rolled oats
- ⅔ cup amaranth flour you can also use quinoa or buckwheat flour
- 2 tbsp starch I use arrowroot
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2-3 tbsp organic cacao powder unsweetened
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ***
- Wet ingredients
- ***
- 1 cup coconut yogurt or any plain yogurt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 ripe bananas
- 5-6 large soft pitted dates
- 3 large organic eggs
- Splash of vanilla extract.
- Cranberry jam see the recipe below
- Optional topping:
- ¼ cup rolled oats + 2 tbsp maple syrup for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- Make cranberry jam.
- Line a muffin pan with paper cups (12 for large muffins, 16 for small).
- Process rolled oats and nuts into a coarse flour. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl, mix them well.
- Add yogurt, bananas, vanilla, and dates into a blender and process until smooth. Transfer to the bowl with the dry ingredients
- Crack eggs in a separate bowl and beat well for about one minute, add them to the rest of ingredients and stir everything well again.
- Divide the batter into the muffin paper cups (about 1.5 tbsp for each), place a ½ of tsp of cranberry jam on top of each muffin and gently push it down a little.
- *You can add a bit of rolled oat and drizzle of maple syrup on top of each muffin (it will make the muffins sweeter) or some melted dark chocolate with fresh berries on top, it will make a mini chocolate cakes.
- Bake your muffins for 20 min.
- Enjoy them warm!
Cranberry Jam
Ingredients:
- Pound of frozen cranberries
- 2 handfuls of goji berries
- 1 inch of fresh ginger
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch
- Sweetener of choice – coconut sugar, coconut nectar, ect.
Instructions:
In a small saucepan combine cranberries and goji berries. Stir them occasionally on low heat for about 10 min. Add sweetener of choice and starch. Stir well again.
Let the jam cool down a little then transfer it into a blender. Add a piece of ginger and process for a few seconds until the desired consistency is achieved.
Store in a small glass jar for about 2 weeks.
We love useing this jam in our yogurt bowls, nut butter sandwiches, and with homemade baked goods.
Love, Zhenya
Now, let me know what you think about this recipe! Use #lemonsqueezylife on social media or post a comment below! Thank you, sending you many-many good vibes!
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