We all know by now that skipping breakfast is a bad idea. I mean, everyone's heard that skipping breakfast lowers your mental and creative potential and sets the stage for cravings and sluggishness later in the day.
And yet, knowing that many of us still rush out the door without a single nutrient passing our lips. Of course, I realize that mornings can be crazy, which is why I present this lovely option: Weekend baking of healthy breakfast snacks that can be eaten throughout the week.
Morning Glory Muffins are the perfect solution, provided you actually make time to bake on the weekend and I kindly suggest that if you have time to watch TV or surf the net, you definitely have a little time to bake.
This recipe is gluten-free and has a spicy sweetness due to the cinnamon and ground ginger. They are also dense enough to fill the hunger gap for an hour or two. I'm not suggesting you replace a balanced breakfast with a muffin, but I am encouraging you to eat this rather than go on empty or worse, grab a store-bought, trans-fat laden muffin to go along with your coffee.
My favourite ingredient in this recipe is the goji berry. Prior to making these muffins, I had not baked with them, and usually just sprinkled dried ones over my granola or mixed them into homemade pancake batter (unless I had just scored some fresh berries at the farmers' market or grocery store).
Goji berries are one of the most nutritionally-dense foods you can eat. Herbalists have prescribed them for liver protection, to help with eyesight, to improve fertility and sexual function, to boost immune function, improve circulation and to promote longevity. There you have it, another superfood to add to the growing list of incredible power foods for joyous health!
Your can thank my friend Candice for this recipe, I know I did when she dropped these muffins off at my condo on one of those crazy mornings. And now I pass it along to you...
Snacks
Goji Berry Morning Glory Muffins
Print
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup goji berries (soaked in warm water for 1 hour, or use raisins or cranberries)
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 1 apple (peeled, cored, chopped)
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup cold-pressed orange juice (or organic blueberry pomegranate)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine in a large bowl: flours, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt and mix well
- In a separate bowl combine: berries, carrots, apple, coconut, almonds and seeds, mix
- Whisk the eggs together in a separate bowl with the oil, juice and vanilla extract
- Add the egg mixture to the fruit and nut mixture, combine well
- Fold into the flour mixture and mix until no dry flour is visible
- Preheat your oven to 350F and grease muffin tins or use paper muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Makes approximately 12 medium size muffins
EnJOY!
I'm making these for the 4th time now and they are by far the best tasting, healthy muffins I have ever had the pleasure of eating. My husband and friends love them also and they are gone in about 2 days. I am now addicted to all things coconut!
ReplyI forgot to say, I use coconut sugar instead of sucanat sugar.....
Just made these muffins. Yum. Instead of sunflower seeds I used pumpkin seeds. Thanks for this lovely recipe.
ReplyWill be making this tomorrow for the weekend. Thank You!
ReplyI make these all the time and love, love them I use a fitbit to monitor my calories, movement etc and could use the nutritional info on these.
ReplyHi Cheryl, I'm so glad you love them! They are so yummy! As you might have noticed if you've tried other recipes on Joyous Health I actually never measure or count calories. My philosophy has always been to eat high quality, nutrient-dense food and you'll never have to worry about counting.
These are the best carrot muffins I've made yet. Thank you Joy! Question: What other gluten free flour can you substitute for the brown rice?
ReplyThanks! Glad you like them. Quinoa flour is another nice option. Hope that helps!
I want to try these but am not able to have eggs-- what do you suggest as I know chia/flax eggs don't always work when a recipe calls for 2 or more eggs--- also would a gf all purpose work? Thanks!
ReplyHi Angela! I would recommend trying a combination of 2 chia/flax eggs with 1/2 mashed banana or 1/3 cup of applesauce for an egg-free option. You could definitely try the all-purpose gluten free flour, but it may have a give it a different density. I say go for it and tell us how it turns out! Heather- Joyous Health Team
Can we substitute the almond flour if going nut-free? If so what's a good substitute? Would I need additional coconut oil if using a flour like buckwheat or coconut flour?
Replyif going nut-free what's a good flour substitute? Would I need additional coconut oil if using a flour like buckwheat or coconut flour?
ReplyHi Sat! You could try using a sunflower seeds flour( if seeds aren't an issue). Simply grind sunflower seeds into a flour like consistency and substitute 1-1. If you're substituting coconut flour, use a lot less as it's super absorbent! I'd suggest about 2 Tbsp -1/4 of a cup to replace the 1 cup of almond flour. It may take some trial and error, but good luck :) Heather- Joyous Health Team
Hi! I have made these delicious muffins twice, but they always turn out wet... and stay wet. I use flax instead of eggs. Any idea what I could be doing wrong? Thanks! :)
ReplyHi Marie-Peir! It could be the substitution of flax for the eggs. Although a great alternative, they don't always work exactly the same. Maybe try cutting back to 2 flax eggs and see if that helps. Good luck! Heather- Joyous Health Team
I am on day one of my ten day detox with joyous health and had a muffin for breakfast - they were so delicious! Thanks!
ReplyWoohoo! That's awesome. Detoxing really can be tasty! All the best. Heather- Joyous Health Team
Hi again! Does the recipe call for 2/3 cup of melted or unmelted coconut oil?
ReplyHey Sat! That would be melted coconut oil :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Hello, I really like the sound of this recipe .. but I don't eat eggs or Carrots 🥕!!! Please can you advise me to another alternative that I could use. Look forward to hearing from you. Regards, Carol 😊
ReplyI have made these muffins numerous times, and got a lot of compliments! Delicious and dense. It satisfies the morning hunger pangs. Thank you Joy
ReplyHi Anita, so happy to hear that. Thanks for taking the time to comment :)
My 14 year old daughter loves them. I love that they are good for you and love the goji berries. I just found goji berries maybe a year ago and love to just snack on them so to have a recipe like this is amazing.
ReplyGlad to hear that Shannon! Thanks for the comment!