BLUEBERRY MUFFINS (GLUTEN, DAIRY & REFINED SUGAR FREE)

This delicious blueberry muffin recipe is adapted from one such similar recipe found on the Food Matters website, brought to my attention by my lovely sister-in-law. Food Matters is a film and a revolution, based on the belief that ‘your body is worthy of good care and that nobody is more suitably qualified to care for it than yourself’.

Food Matters began with an illness in a family. The sufferer experienced severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Depression and Anxiety that was treated with six different medications and left him feeling bedridden and worse than before he started taking the medicine. Family members could not convince the sufferer that the conventional medical approaches were not working, so they decided to try another medium; to make a film involving the world’s leading health and nutrition experts. These experts explained and proved to their unwell relative that ‘food is better medicine than drugs’ and within a mere three months the sufferer was off his medication, 50 pounds lighter and in excellent health.

This independently funded film has one very clear message: Food Matters. Go to http://www.foodmatters.tv/ to find out more about this powerful film. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond meal
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup / honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract / powder
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil, plus extra to grease
• 3 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup oat / rice  / almond milk
• 1 heaped cup fresh / frozen blueberries (thawed if frozen) 

Baking 

1. Preheat a fan force oven to 180 degrees celsius. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin with coconut oil. 

2. In a large bowl combine the almond meal, coconut flour, salt, baking soda and ground cinnamon and stir to mix. Add the syrup / honey, vanilla, oil, eggs and milk and stir well to combine. Carefully fold in the blueberries. 

3. Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each muffin hole. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or longer if you want a firmer muffin. Leave the tray to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then remove the muffins from the tin and leave to cool completely. 

Makes / 12 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Oven time / 30-35 minutes for a soft, moist muffin / longer for a firmer muffin 

x Emily 

BERRY SMOOTHIE

This recipe happened by mistake, as I was planning to make a smoothie I had made several times before from a recipe I found on yourdailyshake on instagram (check out this account its amazing! So many mouth-watering smoothies). As I got my blender out and thawed my blueberries I realised that I had no bananas and no avocado, which were key ingredients in the smoothie recipe. Hence the tofu, which you actually cannot taste blended in with the other ingredients. Try it if you can get over the tofu in it! 

INGREDIENTS

• a large handful of baby spinach, washed
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or thawed if frozen
• 5 tablespoons silken tofu (or around 75 grams)
• 1 teaspoon maca powder
• 1 teaspoon mesquite powder
• 1 cup coconut water or organic apple juice or a combination of both 
• ice cubes 

PREPARATION

1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender until combined and serve topped with extra blueberries, if desired. Serve immediately in a large glass. 

Serves / 1-2

Total Preparation time / 5 minutes maximum

x Emily 

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

I have occasional days where I get an intense, overwhelming need to bake. And not bake casseroles or savoury dishes, I’m talking about baking sweet treats, whether that be cakes, tarts, slices and/or muffins. Today was a lovely public holiday in Brisbane and after a hectic Monday & Tuesday, I needed some relaxing time. So I created these super simple blueberry muffins that looked so dainty sitting on my blue afternoon tea plate. Luckily I had a date at the park with some friends; therefore I was not faced with the opportunity of eating the 12 muffins myself.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (liquid form), plus extra, to grease 
• 1 egg, beaten 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 170 degrees celsius. Lightly grease a 12 hole muffin tin with coconut oil. 

2. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre of the bowl, pushing the flour to the sides. Pour in the egg, milk, maple syrup and oil and stir until just combined. Fold in the blueberries very gently (particularly gently if you are using frozen berries, as these tend to run more than fresh). 

3. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin holes evenly. Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes or until muffins are slightly golden and just firm. 

Makes / 12 muffins

Total Preparation time / 12 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 20 minutes 

x E