I love adding veggies into baked goodies.
It's a sneaky way to get extra vitamins and minerals into something so cozy and comforting.
These sweet, chocolatey, warm-spiced muffins are a perfect meal-prepped portable breakfast on the go or anytime snack.
What's special about these muffs is that they're turned all the way up in flavor while being vegan, gluten free, oil free, refined sugar free, and you can also make them nut free. And I promise, no sacrifices are being made here.
Here's the skinny on sugars:
Natural sugars (in fruit, maple, syrup, and honey for example) metabolize differently than refined sugars (powdered sugar, brown sugar, white sugar). Our bodies rapidly break down refined sugar, which causes insulin and blood sugar levels to spike. Quick digestion of these sugars means we don't feel full for as long as we do when eating natural sugars, regardless of how much you've actually consumed.
This is a big reason why eating whole foods low in refined sugars is recommended to maintain a healthy weight and to lower your risks for diseases. These muffins help you do that, rather than a traditional store bought one with processed sugars!
Makes 12 muffins
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup flax meal
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon or pumpkin spice
¾ cup milk of your choice (I used almond milk)
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups grated zucchini, water squeezed out with paper towel (or sub. carrots)
¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Insert muffin tin liners or lightly coat your muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.
3. Add oats to food processor and blend for ~1 minute to create oat flour.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, flax meal, arrowroot/cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
5. Add milk, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla to the bowl and stir until well combined.
6. Stir in the shredded zucchini and walnuts (if using) and mix until just combined.
7. Fill each muffin cup with the batter and smooth the tops over, they will only rise slightly.
8. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
9. Let cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack for 10 to 15 minutes before popping them out.
Enjoy!
If you make this recipe, please snap a photo and hashtag it #katalystliving.
I love seeing your creations!
<3 Kat