Day 16 - Blueberry-Banana Paleo Muffins

As the saying goes, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.' So when we decided to switch up our muffins from the original, delicious pumpkin muffins we made, we braced ourselves for something that most are afraid of: change. Ok, I might be exaggerating. In fact, the adrenaline was pumping when we knew we'd be enjoying some banana-blueberry goodness every morning this week. I've dubbed these 'bluenana' muffins. It just rolls off the tongue, ok?

If you'd like to follow our lead and be wildly adventurous, try this out!

Ingredients
3 cups almond meal or almond flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
4  eggs
2 cups (roughly five or six) mashed ripe bananas
1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed and drained

UPDATE: Recommendations for a slight variation

• sub blueberries with cranberries
• add 1 tbsp of coconut flour for slightly larger muffins
• sprinkle cinnamon in the batter for more aromatic muffins
• add 2 tbsp of sliced almonds or walnuts for crunchier muffins

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease a 12-cup muffin tray with coconut oil
2. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, and baking soda
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and melted, cooled coconut oil
4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined
5. Stir the bananas into the batter - mix well
6. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula
7. Spoon the batter into the muffin tin

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

This recipe was slightly easier than the pumpkin muffins, and tasted much sweeter because of the bananas and blueberries. I can honestly say that I dream about these at night, and am delighted when I wake up and get to eat one. Let's face it - who doesn't like a dream come true?

Day 11 - Paleo Pumpkin Muffins

As we near the end of week two on this wondrous and beneficial challenge, we've learned that a full stomach is a happy stomach. We've also learned that there's a limit to the amount of almonds one can snack on. Enter the paleo pumpkin muffin, our morning saviour and belly-pleaser. This hearty, almond-flour-based muffin is the perfect thing to kick start your day, or tide you over when you hit that 3 o'clock wall.

1/4 cup coconut oil
6 eggs
1 inch ginger root, peeled and grated finely
3 tbsp coconut flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups almond flour
1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 to 1/3 cup honey
Coconut oil for oiling muffin pan

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a food processor or stand mixer, combine coconut oil, eggs, ginger, coconut flour and salt. Blend well, making sure the coconut flour is well mixed in.
3. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
4. Grease muffin pan with coconut oil. Fill nearly full with batter and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Et voila! Savour all that this delicious, crumbly muffin has to offer with your morning coffee or as an afternoon appeaser. And, if you add a pinch of nutmeg to the mix, and throw a decorative pecan atop the muffin before it goes in the oven, you basically have a handheld Thanksgiving fest. Just the best.