Look, I know. I know, these gluten free muffins look a little like mud muffins, but I promise that Green Smoothie Muffins are greener in real life and you won’t care anyway because not only are these tender, sweet, and cinnamon-y muffins to die for, but each one is packed with 1/3 cup spinach. That means when you’re eating a Green Smoothie Muffin you’re technically eating a salad. Health Goddess alert!
Watch How to Make Them!
Great for Kids
One of the most common struggles parents face is getting their kids to eat their vegetables. Luckily my oldest usually eats whatever I put in front of him, but my middle changes his mind daily about what vegetables are acceptable, and my youngest, well, you can’t feed a one year old with four teeth and a distaste for anything pureed a baby carrot now, can you? That said, I sneak vegetables into my family’s meals every single day. Maybe “sneak” is the wrong word because if anyone asks what a green speck is I’ll tell them, but you know what I mean. Anyway, here are some of my favorite ways to add nutrition in a non obvious way:
Saute ground beef for taco or spaghetti night with minced mushrooms, cauliflower crumbles, or shredded bagged coleslaw. Add shredded zucchini to meatballs or burgers. Swap out or cut white rice with cauliflower rice. Spiralize vegetables to make them more fun to eat. Utilize cauliflower’s creamy properties to thicken up and healthify soups. Bury vegetables under mashed potatoes. Serve guacamole with EVERYTHING.
Green Smoothie Blender Muffins
Another favorite way to get greens into my kids’ diet is to blend them up into smoothies. That said, it gets to be a chore lugging the blender from the cupboard each day, getting everything out from the fridge and freezer, etc. You know what’s easier? Adding the ingredients that normally go into a green smoothie – spinach, banana, milk – with a few other healthy items including almond flour and flaxseed meal, then baking them up into muffins that taste like banana bread. Can you say UPGRADE?! Green Smoothie Muffins are k-i-l-l-i-n-g it in the wholesome department and all three of my children are going crazy for them. To have these healthy, gluten free muffins ready to rock in the fridge anytime they need a snack, or to break out for an easy breakfast is beyond helpful. True, the color leaves something to be desired, but the nutrition and taste more then make up for it. I keep eating them thinking to myself, “Surely I can’t post this recipe when the muffins looks like this…” Or, “This time I’m definitely going to taste the spinach…” But I did, and I can’t. They are so good!
How to Make Green Smoothie Muffins
Start by adding the wet ingredients into a high-powered blender in the order listed below. I use my trusty Blendtec blender. You’ll need something that’s powerful enough to liquify spinach.
4 lightly packed cups baby spinach 1 large ripe banana 1/4 cup coconut oil 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup) 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup milk, any kind (I use unsweetened almond milk) 2 teaspoons vanilla
Next, whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl:
1-1/4 cups super fine almond flour 3/4 cup gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour blend 1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients then whisk to combine and let the batter sit and thicken for 5 minutes before scooping a heaping 1/4 cup batter (I use an ice cream scoop) into a 12 cup lined muffin tin.
Bake for 19-21 minutes at 375 degrees then turn the oven OFF, crack the oven door open, and let the muffins sit inside for 5 minutes. Then, set the tin in on the counter for 10 minutes before transferring the muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely. I know you’ll love these Green Smoothie Muffins as much as we do — enjoy, enjoy!
More Gluten Free Baked Goods
Baked Oatmeal Cups Gluten Free Pancakes Gluten Free Strawberry Muffins Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars Gluten Free Zucchini Bread Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
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