Beet Muffins

It is quite surprising how the world of blogging introduces you to so many friends, especially those from far-flung countries. Afra is from Netherlands, a country I know nothing about except for the huge windmills and the wooden clogs. It is our common passion for food that brought us together which eventually led to this guest post. Thanks Afra for the recipe; you are a darling to do this for me in spite of your busy schedule. Afra hosts an amazing blog where you can find many such healthy recipes.

Like I have mentioned before, I have not yet got into baking but it is these kinds of simple recipes that encourage novices like me to start baking. A wonderful and ‘nutritious’ idea and a smash hit for your child’s lunch box.

About the muffins, it is best to let the expert talk;

Lately my focus has been on experimenting with veggie dishes. It is a challenge my sister and I set ourselves – to introduce some new healthy habits to our dinner tables. The deal is that we pick a ‘vegetable of the week’ which we then both have to cook. As I have been having so much fun with this, I knew I had to spread the idea by sharing a vegetable recipe.

So, for my first guest post I present a plate of Beetroot Muffins.

Besides the fact that this recipe contains beetroot, I love that it uses no butter or oil and is free of refined sugar. Instead these muffins are packed with goodness. (One small tip: you can omit the walnuts, but do not skip the raisins. I have tried and was surprised how much this affected the flavour and texture.)

These muffins are delicious when they are still warm from the oven, but they are just as fabulous after being stored in the fridge for a few days, which makes them a great snack or breakfast on-the-go.

Enjoy!

Adapted from a recipe found on ‘The Healthy Foodie’

Print Recipe

Beet Muffins

Course: Bakes

Servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 180 g 1 ½ cup spelt flour
• 180 g 1 ½ cup oats
• 40 g 1/4 cup black chia seeds
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¾ tsp salt
• 2 medium beets
• 240 ml 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 ripe banana
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 4 egg whites
• 240 ml 1 cup buttermilk
• 80 g 1/2 cup raisins
• 50 g 1/4 cup walnuts

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 210C (425F).
• Cut parchment paper into squares and line your muffin tin. (If you have a silicon tray you can skip this step, but they do look nicer in paper. You could use regular paper cups, but the muffins have to cool completely before you can eat them; otherwise the paper sticks.) Refrigerate to allow it to thicken.
• In a large bowl combine oats, flour, chia. Sieve in the baking powder and baking soda. Add cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine.
• Wash and brush the beetroot. Cut of the stems and grate (using your food processor grater).
• If using Freezer Apple Sauce, blend the frozen apple in your food processor.
• In a separate bowl, mash the banana with a fork until it is almost frothy. Add the applesauce, beetroot, maple syrup, egg whites and buttermilk.
• Stir together the wet and the dry mix until well combined.
• Chop the walnuts and fold them into the mix together with the raisins.
• Pour mixture into the prepared muffin pan.
• Bake for 5 min at 220C (435F) then lower the temperature to 190C (375F) and bake for 20-25 min until they are done – the top is crunchy and when you insert a toothpick it comes out clean.
• These muffins are lovely warm or cold and can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.