Ultra-Omega Muffins
Oh-Meh-Ga, Becky, look at her muffin. It is so healthy! (Sir-Mix-Alot reference. Sorry, I'm a victim of 90s pop culture.)
Introducing the newest member to the healthy muffin recipe box. These delicious, gluten-free muffins are loaded with healthy doses of Omega-3 and Omega 6 polyunsaturates and fiber.
I am always looking for gluten free alternatives for the hubby, lower calorie snacks for myself and any food that the picky Edie won’t put her nose up at. I made a few adaptations to a recipe I found in a Woman’s Heath.com article. The outcome is a flavorful, super-healthy muffin perfect for breakfast or snacking and it logs in under 200 calories per muffin.
The Woman’s Health.com article was actually about foods to eat while PMSing. The article explains, ‘bananas provide cramp-busting potassium and vitamin B6, a hormone regulator that may help reduce water retention, depression, and other PMS symptoms.’ And continues to recommend that the combination of vitamin D and calcium rich yogurt with bananas has been shown to slash PMS symptoms by up to 40 percent. Adding magnesium-rich walnuts to the mix can also reduce irritability and stabilize blood sugar. All great bonus factors to the sweet taste and extremely moist texture. Personally I didn’t bring up the PMS stuff to the kids and husband and they loved them anyhow. 
Please note: Gluten-free muffin batter offers a different consistency to your average fluffy, flour muffin mix. These muffins are dense and will not rise to a peak. Be sure to use a toothpick or cake tester through the center of a muffin at the end of baking to ensure they are done.
Ultra Omega Muffins
Makes about 18 muffins
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cupoatmeal (quick cooking)
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 3 medium, ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup agave syrup
- 1/3 cup grapeseed OR sunflower oil
- 1/4 cup walnut pieces
- 1 cup chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together oatmeal, flour, flaxseed, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, yogurt, bananas, syrup, and oil. Add flour mixture and fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.
4. Divide batter into paper-lined or well greased muffin cups. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack.
Per muffin: 187 cal, 7 g fat (1 g sat), 103 mg sodium, 20 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein
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sure sounds heart healthy
Love them! After your shared sample last week, I just wanted to try the myself (and so did my family). After getting the ingredients in, the rest was easy – assembled and baked during one Glee episode! Thanks for the new staple.
What would you put in instead of nuts for those allergic?
Great questions. Sunflower, sesame and poppy seeds are all tasty, crunchy and extremely good for you. My Grandmother would highly recommend using hemp heart as a healthy alternative with a little added crunch and I’ve heard really high reviews of using Post cereal’s Honey Bunches of Oats as a crunchy alternative to nuts in muffin recipes. I haven’t tried it myself yet so let me know your verdict if you get to it first. Of course, always check labels first if you’re highly allergic.