Healthy Muffins – Prune Ginger Oats Muffins

The goodness of oats and the unique combination of prunes and ginger in a muffin. Zero-guilt dessert for your sweet cravings.

Warm, soft and fluffy, and now wholesome – ever since I discovered that there was a way to bake healthier muffins with zero refined sugar, I’ve begun to love muffins even more. The best part – these do not have any refined flour, and can be made gluten-free, xanthan gum-free if you so wish. There are days when I have serious sweet cravings, and these healthy muffins are a godsend on such days. Even if you’ve mastered your cravings for certain foods, these healthy muffins can be prepared and had even for breakfast, since they are full of nutrition, have less sugar content, and the high fiber content serves to keep your hunger satiated for a long time. Unlike the typical muffin choices you have at a local bakery or store, brimming with refined sugar and flour stripped of any real nutrition.

I have tweaked my Healthy Flour Mix (HFM) recipe here by using oats in place of millets or sorghum, along with whole-wheat flour. If you wish to make this recipe gluten-free, just follow the instructions given in the recipe below.

This recipe is a fail-proof method to successfully avoid empty calories coming from store-bought carb-laden muffins. Also, it is entirely possible to play with flavors and textures! Try your hand at my Chocolate Banana Millet Sorghum Muffins or Buckwheat Pumpkin Muffins

I used coconut oil or ghee (clarified butter) in place of butter or vegetable oil here. I also substituted refined/ white sugar with palm sugar, which has a lower Glycemic Index than refined sugar.

Healthy Muffins – Chocolate Banana Muffins with Millet Flour Mix

Makes 12-15 muffins

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Oats
• 1 cup Whole-wheat flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 tsp Baking Soda
• 120 gms Palm Sugar
• 3 tsp Grated ginger
• 2 tsp Orange Zest
• ½ cup Dried Prunes, minced
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup coconut oil (can use ghee as well)
• 2 eggs

For gluten-free flour, substitute Whole-wheat Flour with 100gms of Arrowroot Starch + 1 cup Rice Flour

METHOD

Pre-heat the oven at 175° C (nearly 350°F).

Whisk together all the dry ingredients, i.e. flour mix, baking soda, baking powder and palm sugar in a large bowl.

Combine the wet ingredients, i.e. grated ginger, orange zest, minced prunes, milk, coconut oil, in a separate bowl. Crack the eggs and whisk everything together.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with wet ingredients, mix everything together while scraping the sides with a spatula.

Coat the muffin tray with cooking spray or line with paper muffin cups.

Spoon the batter into individual cups, filling them to 3/4^th level. Place the tray into the oven immediately. Bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes, until they’ve risen firm and golden.

Remove the muffin tray from the oven and allow to cool for few minutes. Remove the muffins from tray and let them cool on a wire rack.

Devour!

NOTES

• You can store the muffins in a tightly-sealed container for future use. Just warm them before consuming.
• Since this recipe utilizes baking soda, the mix has to be baked immediately.