These healthy muffins an excellent choice for breakfast or a mid-morning snack. They are packed with protein and good fat. The texture is just a bit more dense than your regular muffin made from just flour. I used both almond meal/flour and an all-purpose gluten-free flour. Feel free to use just almond meal but be aware the texture will be even more dense.

To keep this recipe a vegan lover’s choice, I used flax eggs (flax/chia blend) instead of regular eggs. Flax is rich in omega-3’s and other healthy fats and is such a good choice when you are trying to incorporate clean foods into your meal plan.

These delicious muffins are also made with tahini. Tahini is another great source of healthy fats, protein, iron and calcium. It’s tastes great too!

So if you are looking for a healthier Blueberry Muffin you’ve found it! They are a convenient choice when you are pressed for time in those early morning hours. Let me know what you think…

Blueberry Muffins (gluten free and vegan)

1 cup gluten free all-purpose flour
1 cup almond meal
2 flax eggs (or 2 regular eggs)
3/4 cup tahini
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners. Combine all the ingredients. (Except for the blueberries) and mix well.
Gently fold in the blueberries until they are spread throughout the batter. Drop batter into muffin liners (or greased tins) and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350F. The muffins should be a golden brown around the edges and firm in the center. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to cool completely.

* To make a flax egg: Mix one tablespoon of flax with 3 tablespoons of water…whisk and let sit a few minutes…you’ll get an egg-like texture.

Besides working out, I enjoy baking and experimenting with new recipes! I revamped this recipe to make it a healthier option. I used maple syrup instead of regular sugar or honey. The Sunflower Butter used is an all natural brand made from just roasted sunflower seeds and salt. Be aware of the brands that add oil or sugar. You’ll get enough sweetness in these with the maple syrup.

The chick-peas in these are full of protein, fiber, folic acid and manganese. Therefore, they make these cookies a healthier option to reach for when you are craving something sweet. Higher in protein and fiber than your ordinary chocolate chip cookie. Such an easy and quick gluten-free and vegan treat.

These SunFlower Chocolate Chip Cookies came out great!! Let me know what you think… www.instagram.com/p/BgCeIK1F6av/

SunFlower Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

1- 1/4 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sunflower butter (or natural peanut butter or almond butter)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt if your sunflower butter doesn’t have salt in it
1/2 cup vegan and dairy-free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Combine all the ingredients, (except for the chocolate chips) in a food processor and process until very smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides and the top to get the little chunks of chickpeas and process again until they’re combined.
Put in the chocolate chips and stir it if you can, or pulse it once or twice. The mixture will be very thick and sticky.

With dry hands, form into 1 1/2″ balls. Place onto a piece of parchment paper. Press down slightly on the balls to make them look like real cookies. They don’t do much rising.
Bake for about 10 minutes. They will still be very soft when you take them out and do not set like normal cookies.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 1 week.

ENJOY!!