Sadly, most packaged muffins are loaded with sugar, fat and calories. This includes seemingly “healthy” bran muffins, which actually fall into the bad-for-you muffin category.
Over time, the sugar and fat content in your breakfast or snack muffins could make you gain weight, leave you feeling tired and even increase your risk for serious conditions like obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
The good news is you can still have your muffins. Homemade muffins mean you choose the ingredients so you can manage the calories, fat and sugar content.
Here are three healthier muffin recipes to try.
Egg and cheese muffins
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- ½ onion finely chopped
- ½ red pepper finely chopped
- ½ green pepper finely chopped
- ÂĽ punnet mushrooms sliced
- Olive oil
- ½ cup cheddar cheese
- 2ml garlic and herb seasoning
Method
- Preheat oven to 180ÂşC.
- Use a silicone muffin pan or grease a muffin pan.
- Braise the onions, peppers and mushrooms in a pan in a little olive oil, set aside and allow to cool.
- Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl, add the seasoning and then the cheese and onion mixture.
- Spoon into muffin pan and bake for 15 – 20 minutes.
Good-for-you bran muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups wheat bran
- 1 cup, plus ½ cup dark raisins
- 1 cup, plus ½ cup water
- ½ cup buttermilk or plain low- or non-fat yoghurt
- A squeeze of fresh orange zest
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2Â large eggs
- ¾ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Method
- Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease or spray cook a 12-cup muffin tin or use paper cups.
- Spread the wheat bran on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for six to eight minutes, stirring a few times so it cooks evenly. Let cool.
- While the bran is toasting, heat 1 cup of the raisins with ½ cup of the water.
- Simmer for ten minutes, or until the water is all absorbed. Puree the raisins in a food processor or blender until smooth.
- In a large bowl, mix together the toasted bran, buttermilk or yoghurt, 1 cup water, then mix in the raisin puree, orange zest, and brown sugar. Stir in the oil, and eggs.
- Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and sift directly into the wet ingredients. Stir until the ingredients are just combined, then mix in the remaining ½ cup raisins.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, making sure the batter is mounded slightly in each one.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the muffins are set in the centre.
Wholegrain and peanut butter honey muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ÂĽ teaspoon salt
- ÂĽ teaspoon ground nutmeg or cinnamon
- 1½ cups or 3 large mashed bananas
- 1/3 cup honey
- ÂĽ cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter, natural or regular
- 1/3 cup milk
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tray with paper liners or grease well with non-stick cooking spray. For smaller muffins, use two trays.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, honey, coconut oil, egg, vanilla, peanut butter and milk. Mix until well until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Don’t overmix.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin liners.
- Bake for 17-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
- Remove the muffins from the tray and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, store well-covered at room temperature for a couple days.