Wednesday 27 March 2019

The Best Healthy Blueberry Muffins

Where are my fellow muffin fans? I have yummy and healthy blueberry muffins for you! Healthy, unrefined, orange-scented blueberry muffins for the win!

Orange Scented Blueberry Muffins | Simple, healthy blueberry goodness! | A Sweet Pea Chef

Blueberry muffins are so my fave kind of muffins.

And, you know me: I like muffins!

No matter where I am or what mood I’m in, sitting down and enjoying a blueberry muffin instantly takes me back to being a kid again.

Problem with your typical blueberry muffin, though, is that it’s just filled with refined sugars and flours and likely lots of unnecessary fats and other unhealthy oils.

I know, right… but… blueberry muffins??

What are we ever to do?

Well, I decided I needed more blueberry muffins in my life.

I needed them on a regular basis.

I needed them as a snack or a breakfast or a sweet treat.

I needed them… to be HEALTHY and good for me.

Which means I made healthy muffins. Healthy blueberry muffins. Actually, I combined the flavors of orange muffins and the flavors of blueberry muffins and I made orange blueberry muffins.

And, I know, it’s different.

But, stay with me, peeps… because it’s also glorious…

I’m tellin’ ya – it’s super tasty and a great way to enjoy your blueberry muffins again.

Orange Scented Blueberry Muffins | Simple, healthy blueberry goodness! | A Sweet Pea ChefOrange Scented Blueberry Muffins | Simple, healthy blueberry goodness! | A Sweet Pea Chef

HOMEMADE ORANGE-SCENTED BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Making healthy blueberry muffins was not enough, I wanted to add in a lil’ something special to brighten up the blueberry muffins and I found the best way to do this was with some fresh orange zest.

I know – you’re totally thinking, “Lacey, why on earth would you add orange zest to a perfectly good blueberry muffin? They’re great the way they are!” “You can make healthy orange muffins instead of messing with the old fashioned blueberry muffins.”

Truth to be told, I could’ve followed a classic recipe for orange muffins and make orange muffins. But I really wanted orange blueberry muffins. And I wasn’t disappointed.

I mean, even Dustin, who practically cried when I told him I added orange zest into the blueberry muffins he was craving for so long, took one bite and then happily declared them to be the best blueberry muffins he’d ever had.

So more blueberry orange muffin for us! All day, any day!

Orange Scented Blueberry Muffins | Simple, healthy blueberry goodness! | A Sweet Pea Chef

HOW TO MAKE YOUR BLUEBERRY MUFFINS HEALTHY

To make the yummy blueberry orange muffin healthy, you have to do just a few easy steps:

  • remove all processed sugars (and replace with natural sweetness, like ripe bananas);
  • remove all processed flours (and replace with unrefined flours like spelt flour and coconut flour);
  • remove all processed oils (and replace with the awesome healthy substitute of mashed bananas).

See?  Super easy to replace those unhealthy ingredients with natural, unrefined ingredients!

WHAT IS SPELT FLOUR?

I make these tasty orange scented blueberry muffins with coconut flour and spelt flour for a delicious combination of flavors and health benefits – so good for your taste buds and your body!

In case you don’t know what is spelt flour, well, spelt flour is a healthy and more nutritious alternative to all-purpose flour. Spelt is a whole grain that contains calcium, selenium, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, and vitamin E.

Orange Scented Blueberry Muffins | Simple, healthy blueberry goodness! | A Sweet Pea Chef

BANANAS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PROCESSED SUGAR

Bananas are one of the best sugar alternatives. I use them ALL the time to naturally sweetness my shakes and baked goods.

They’ll add a sweet taste to your blueberry muffins, but the muffins will stay healthy and you don’t even taste the bananas. Also, using bananas as sugar alternatives in homemade baked treats is a great way to use up overripe bananas. Plus, bananas are loaded with fiber, contain magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin A. Healthy sugar alternatives are definitely better than processed sugar, peeps!

If you don’t have bananas, you could also use unsweetened applesauce.

Orange Scented Blueberry Muffins | Simple, healthy blueberry goodness! | A Sweet Pea Chef

BAKING TIPS FOR ORANGE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

After you prepped the batter for the blueberry orange muffin…

  1. fill the muffin cups evenly – about 3/4 of the way full because the muffins will rise while in the oven;
  2. transfer the muffin tray to the oven and bake for approximately 12-15 minutes;
  3. to check if the muffins are done, use the toothpick trick – insert a toothpick into the center of the orange blueberry muffins and see if it comes out clean. If it does, the muffins are ready. If not, bake for a couple more minutes and repeat the test.

Orange Scented Blueberry Muffins | Simple, healthy blueberry goodness! | A Sweet Pea Chef

HOW TO MAKE A CRUMB TOPPING FOR BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Nothing beats the taste, flavor, and deliciousness of blueberry muffins. Except maybe… blueberry muffins with crumb topping. The additional awesomeness of blueberry crumb muffins is brought to you today by a few simple and healthy ingredients. To make the crumb topping for muffins:

  1. place softened coconut oil on a parchment paper and place in the freezer for up to 15 minutes to harden;
  2. in the meantime, in a mixing bowl, mix coconut flour, coconut sugar, and cinnamon;
  3. remove the coconut oil from the freezer and break it into small pieces;
  4. add the coconut oil pieces and stir to combine;
  5. top each muffin with the flour-cinnamon mixture – the coconut oil will melt in the oven and, when combined with the flour-cinnamon mixture, will create a crunchy topping.

It’s so easy to make the crumb topping for muffins, don’t you think?

Orange Scented Blueberry Muffins | Simple, healthy blueberry goodness! | A Sweet Pea Chef

STORING OR FREEZING HEALTHY BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

After learning how to make blueberry muffins, we have to move to the next steps – how to store muffins and how to freeze muffins. However, if you want to reach this point, I highly recommend making a double batch because the first one will disappear immediately.

How to store muffins:

  1. place the healthy muffins in Ziploc bags;
  2. seal the bags and store the muffins at room temperature for up to 3 days.

How to freeze muffins:

  1. to freeze the orange blueberry muffins, place them in Ziploc bags or wrap them in foil;
  2. store them in the freezer for up to 3 months;
  3. thaw the muffins at room temperature or heat them in the microwave on high for approximately 30 seconds.

Orange Scented Blueberry Muffins | Simple, healthy blueberry goodness! | A Sweet Pea Chef

3 MORE HEALTHY MUFFIN RECIPES

One muffin recipe is never enough. Especially when we’re talking about healthy muffins. So I have more. Not another muffin recipe but 3 more muffin recipes that will make delicious and healthy muffins.

PALEO APPLE MUFFINS WITH CRUNCHY CRUMB TOPPING

Healthy, full of flavor, and totes delicious, these Paleo Apple Muffins with Crunchy Crumb Topping will fill your home with a wonderful smell while baking them. Oh, the smell of freshly baked muffins. It’s so good.

Paleo Apple Crunch Muffins | These paleo apple crunch muffins are easy, healthy, full of flavor, and will make your home smell amazing! | A Sweet Pea Chef #ad

For extra taste and flavor, these Paleo Apple Muffins are topped with a delicious and crunchy crumb topping that is so, so good. Get the recipe.

HEALTHY BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

These healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are the PERFECT way to use ripe bananas and don’t use any refined flour, refined sugar or oil!

Banana Nut Muffins

These healthy muffins are soft, dense, filled with amazing banana flavor and chocolate goodness. Get the recipe.

30-MINUTE HEALTHY PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

Light and sweet, these 30-Minute Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are packed with pumpkin flavor.

Close up of a side shot of the pumpkin chocolate chip muffins on a cooling rack, ext to several other muffins and dark chocolate chips.

This is my go-to muffin recipe during Fall. But I wouldn’t say no to this muffins the rest of the year. Get the recipe.

Healthy Blueberry Muffin Recipe

 

The Best Healthy Blueberry Muffins

Healthy, unrefined orange-scented blueberry muffins for the win!

FOR THE DRY INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup spelt flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

FOR THE WET INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 bananas (mashed)
  • 5 eggs
  • 3 tbsp raw honey (melted)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp fresh orange zest (1 orange)
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING:

  • 2 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 2 tbsp coconut flour
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil (softened)
  1. Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and greasing a regular muffin tin with coconut oil.
  2. Next, in a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut flour, spelt flour, baking powder, sea salt, and ground cinnamon.
  3. In a separate mixing bowl, add ripe bananas and mash until smooth using a fork or potato masher. Once the bananas are fully mashed, add the eggs, raw honey, vanilla extract, and fresh orange zest, and stir to combine.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together until just incorporated. Then, add in the fresh blueberries and fold into the batter.
  5. Fill each muffin cup evenly – the muffins will rise some so try to fill them about 3/4 of the way full.
  6. Spread 2 tbsp. of the softened coconut on a sheet of parchment paper and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to harden.
  7. While the coconut oil is hardening, mix the remaining coconut flour, coconut sugar, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl. Once the coconut oil is hardened, remove it from the freezer and break into small pieces. Then, add into the mixing bowl and stir to combine. (As the coconut oil melts in the oven, just like with butter, it will produce a crispy, crunchy topping for the muffins.)
  8. Top each of the muffins with the coconut flour and cinnamon mixture.
  9. Place into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

This post contains affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.

The post The Best Healthy Blueberry Muffins appeared first on A Sweet Pea Chef.



* This article was originally published here