super hero muffins — all aflutter

I LOVE TO bake, but I don’t always want the sweet tempting fruits of my labor starting me down on the kitchen counter. If I’m honest, will power is NOT my strongest suit [or even my 42nd strongest]. So I was thrilled when my friend Lisa at Joyful Balance introduced me to these Super Hero Muffins. They’re from the cookbook Rise & Run: Recipes, Rituals and Runs to Fuel Your Day and they may not be the prettiest, but they are SUPER delicious. They’re packed with protein, fiber and other good stuff to keep you nourished, perfect for a grab + go breakfast or after a workout. There are a bunch of different savory and sweet iterations of the recipe in the book and even this one has lots of room for modification to include the things you love - this is the version that I like, but you can swap out any nuts, seeds or fruit that you like. They’re a hit everywhere I bring them and a really nice alternative to sweet treats when you want to spoil someone who may not appreciate the temptation of a sugary snack. They’re GF and refined sugar-free, too. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

INGREDIENTS

2 cups almond flour
1 cup rolled oats or quinoa flakes if GF [I’ve used both and they’re both perfect]
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds [can swap with chopped walnuts or other nuts you like]
1/2 cup chocolate chips [can swap with raisins or chopped dates]
3 eggs beaten
1 cup grated zucchini [about 1 whole zucchini unless it’s massive]
1 cup grated carrots [around 2 carrots]
6 tbsp unsalted butter melted [or dairy-free alternative]
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1 tps vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 350
Line a muffin tin with muffin cups
In a large bowl combine the almond flour, oats or quinoa flakes, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, almonds and chocolate chips
In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, zucchini, carrots, butter, maple syrup and vanilla
Mix the dry and wet ingredients until just combined, the batter will be thick
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each to the brim
Bake until the muffins are nicely browned on top, around 25-35 minutes
Gobble them all up, share with a friend or freeze some for a busy day