Nothing says “grab-and-go” breakfast like a muffin. But for the most important meal of the day, the humble muffin often can fall short. Most store-bought muffins are just naked cupcakes. Full of refined white flour, oil, and sugar, they lack meaningful fiber or protein. But if you make them yourself, they can serve as the perfect morning fuel. This recipe omits refined sugar in favor of naturally sweet bananas, blueberries, and applesauce. Blueberries are packed with antioxidants, which support the heart and help decrease the likelihood of sickness and infections. Blueberries are also a great source of fiber, which promotes a healthy digestive system.
Note: To make these muffins gluten-free, we use a mixture of oat flour and coconut flour, but you can use whichever flours you have on hand.
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- 2 (280 grams) bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) vanilla or coconut yogurt
- 1/2 cup (135 grams) applesauce
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
- 1 egg
Dry ingredients
- 3/4 cup (110 grams) oat flour
- 3/4 cup (110 grams) coconut flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix-ins
- 16 ounces fresh blueberries or 1 cup organic frozen blueberries
- Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix well.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in the blueberries and lemon zest.
- In a paper-lined or greased mini muffin tin, pour in the muffin batter until the tins are ⅔ full.
- Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until the tops of the mini muffins turn golden brown. If using a full-sized muffin tin, bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Let cool and try not to eat them all in one sitting.
Notes
Excerpted from First Bites: A Science-Based Guide to Nutrition for Baby’s First 1,000 Days by Evelyn Rusli and Arianna Schioldager. © 2023 Evelyn Rusli and Arianna Schioldager. Published by Countryman Press | W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. Credit: Caer, Inc.