These muffins were exactly what I wanted last weekend. They are sweetened only by dates and sweet potato, so they are semi rather than very sweet. They are dense and have a crumb-like texture, but also sit gently on the stomach and are moist from the natural ingredients. They aren't gluten free, but by using spelt flour and oats they also pack more nutrition than standard wheat flour muffins.
If you want dessert-like muffins then these are not the recipe to choose, but for a whole foods breakfast or snack, I think they hit the spot.
Sweet potato and date muffins
Simply flavoured and lightly sweetened, these are perfect for breakfast or healthy snacking
Vegan
Makes 12 muffins
Author: Bite-sized thoughts
Ingredients
120g dates (1 cup loosely packed)
1 large sweet potato, cooked - mine weighed 380g uncooked with skin
230g (1-1/2 cups) spelt flour
50g (1/2 cup) rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp mixed spice (pumpkin pie spice, or a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp nut oil (I used almond oil scooped off the top of a new jar of nut butter) or vegetable oil
2 tbsp nut butter (I used almond butter)
Method
Preheat your oven to 180'C (350'F) and prepare a 12-pan muffin tray.
Roughly chop the dates and then place in a 1 cup measure. Top the cup up (covering the dates) with hot water and allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients.
Cut the cooked sweet potato into chunks and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the spelt flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and mixed spice.
When the dates are ready, add the dates in water (retain the water), sweet potato pieces, vanilla, oil and nut butter to the flour mix. Stir well using a wooden spoon, partially mashing the sweet potato as you go. Mix until the batter is fully combined and you have a thick mixture that is hard to stir.
Spoon scoops of the batter into your prepared muffin pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the muffins comes out clean.
Submitted to Healthy Vegan Fridays.
Do you sometimes imagine recipes (on your blog or otherwise)?!
I really like sweet potato muffins, Yes cake for breakfast - but I like your gf version too, as its proper wholesome brekkie. I'd happily have it in my lunch box for any time of the day.
ReplyDeleteThanks Shaheen :-)
DeleteLooks delicious - it is funny you thought you already had the recipe - does that mean you have made them before? I sometimes make a recipe and decide to blog it and then find I have already blogged the same recipe. And then there are days I can't believe I haven't blogged a favourite recipe yet.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't made them before, just imagined doing so :P Like you, I also often do the opposite and make something I think is new, only to discover it isn't!
DeleteHi Kari,
ReplyDeleteYour sweet potato muffins sound perfect for a nutritious start to the day. I haven't been able to bring myself to use spelt flour yet but perhaps it is time that I do.
Thank you so much for sharing, Kari...
I find spelt flour really similar to wheat flour, so it's not something to be scared of :-)
DeleteReally Kari, I didn't know that. Thanks, I may just need to find out for myself:)
DeleteHaha, I am always doing that. Although I usually post something and realise that I actually already have that recipe on my blog. ooops.
ReplyDeleteI do that too!!
DeleteThese muffins look and sound amazing - such wonderful flavours.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cakelaw :-)
DeleteThese muffins sound right up my alley Kari - so yummy! I often think that I've done something only to realise I haven't. Or I have an entire conversation in my head and have to ask Mr Fork later whether I really did ask him or just imagined it :)
ReplyDeleteHaha!
DeleteI seem to find the older I get, the less sweet I like my desserts - and the more vegetables that I like in them. I made sweet potato brownies not so long ago, and I'm sure these would go down very well indeed too!
ReplyDeleteI still have moments of wanting sweet things, but they are definitely fewer than they were. I'm glad these appeal!
DeleteThat's so funny, I forget what's on my website too. I also remind my husband about places we've visited by showing him the blogpost! Anyway, these muffins look fabulous. I have been looking for some healthy, high fibre muffins to pack as snacks for the children.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
It is helpful to have blog posts as proof of things! I hope your children like these if you make them.
Deletehehe - yes it's definitely easy when blogging for a long time to feel like you're going over old ground! Glad you found a new combination. Sweet potatoes and dates together are a perfect match! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandy!
DeleteI have never tried making sweet potato muffins - these sound really delicious!
ReplyDelete"If you want dessert-like muffins then these are not the recipe to choose, but for a whole foods breakfast or snack, I think they hit the spot."
That's exactly what I look for in a muffin! I find it a nice change from normal breakfast fare, but I don't want it overly sweet. Yum!
I'm glad I could hit the right balance for you!
Delete