Fresh berries baked into soft and airy muffins which are lightly perfumed with lemon. Yes, please. These grain free, gluten free, dairy free Paleo treats are an absolute delight, and versatile. Use any fresh berries that you have on hand. Serve them warm as a dessert with a heaping of coconut cream, or wrap them in parchment paper and store them in the freezer for an impromptu picnic at a later date. They’re easy to make and beautiful to behold. Put on your aprons, people, it’s Paleo baking time.

Fresh Berry Muffins – Paleo, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free

I used to make all my baked goods by hand. I’d put the butter and sugar into a large ceramic bowl and cream them with a wooden spoon, gradually adding the eggs and the flour, the liquid ingredients and the dry. Shortly after turning Paleo, however, a food processor came into our lives, and I find it mixes the batter for muffins, cookies and cakes just as well. If you don’t have a food processor, try mixing the batter in the old fashioned way – I’m sure they’ll work out fine.

You need to be careful with these muffins. Hinting of zest and infused with molten berries, they’re also extremely light. Which means they slide into your mouth oh so easily. They set off the dopamine receptors of joy, and if you’re not careful they’ll have you reaching for another before rationality has a chance to assert itself over the instinctual ploy. A treat, remember, is a treat, and all things baked have an uncanny way of disguising their caloric load. These don’t contain much sweetener – I don’t think there’s enough to send blood sugar levels roller-coasting – but please be honest about where you’re at on your health and healing road.

As I need to be. We each enjoyed one of the above muffins to finish lunch on a sweet note, and The General scoffed off another after dinner. I’ve left a couple out for tomorrow, but the rest have been wrapped and have gone into the freezer. I simply can’t have them around, because while he has no reaction whatsoever, there’s something in that combination of ingredients that sends my FODMAPS into party mode. It’s frustrating, because I can’t put my finger on what it is exactly. Any of those ingredients in isolation and I’m absolutely fine. Could it be that the quality of the ground almonds changes during the baking process? Would it be different if I used blanched – even soaked? – almonds, instead of those with the skin on  –  which I use because of a stubborn idea of the added fibre

FODMAP issues or not, these muffins are fantastic! Because Paleo baking is gluten-free, I find that adding baking powder as well as the bicarb soda + vinegar works really well for the rising. Fill the muffin moulds to their rims so they mushroom out nicely. Give them a good 40 minutes in the oven, so that their caps are golden and toasted, and so that a skewer poked through the middle comes out clean.

Your choice of berries! I’ve made them so far with blueberries and strawberries (today’s batch were baked with strawberries, but at the last minute I added blueberries as well.) I think they’ll be special with blackberries… raspberries? Mulberries? No doubt all will be tried and taste-tested before summer is over. Not the mulberries. I’ve never seen them round here, which is strange because there are plenty of trees from when the textile trades were booming and the ladies spun silk from the silkworm cocoons. Must ask the man why mulberries have never made their way into our home. He’s bound to know.

This recipe has been shared on Allergy Free Wednesday , Real Food Fridays and Gluten Free Fridays.

It was chosen as a Featured Recipe on Real Food Fridays.

When you make these, make sure to take a snap and tag me on Instagram, @paleomantic – it’s such a buzz to see your creations! And don’t forget to come find me on Facebook, Pintrest and Twitter. 

Thanks so much for sharing Paleomantic posts on your Social – every share helps spread the message about the Paleo Diet and Lifestyle.

Best Wishes, Good Health and Happiness

4.7 from 3 reviews

Fresh Berry Muffins - Paleo, Gluten Free

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

Fresh berries baked into a soft and airy muffin which is lightly zested with lemon. Yes, please. These grain free, gluten free, dairy free Paleo treats are an absolute delight, and versatile. As a dessert, a snack, for brunch, or stored in the freezer for an impromtu picnic, they are easy to make, beautiful to behold, and guaranteed to please.

Paleomantic: Angie Brazzale

Recipe type: Sweets and Treats

This fits: Paleo

Serves: 6 - 9

Ingredients

• 80 grams coconut oil
• ⅓ cup muscovado sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
• 1 cup cassava flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 1 cup (100 grams) ground almonds
• 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with 2 tablespoons of water
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup (200 grams) chopped fresh berries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. If using silicon muffin moulds, lightly grease them with a little coconut oil. If using paper liners, place them into the the muffin tin. (This quantity makes 6 muffins using 90ml moulds, or 9 muffins using a 60ml mould.)
2. Break the eggs into a small pouring jug and lightly beat them. In a large bowl, mix the cassava flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and ground almonds.
3. Fit the food processor with the 'S' blade, and add the coconut oil, muscovado sugar and lemon zest. Process on the lowest speed until they are creamed.
4. Add the dry ingredients in lots with the eggs and vinegar, processing on the lowest speed until well combined. (I spoon the dry ingredients and pour the wet down the hatch, with the motor running.) Stop and scrape down the edges of the bowl, then process lightly again.
5. Take out the blade and gently fold in the berries.
6. Fill the muffin moulds with the batter, and bake for 40 minutes. The muffins are done when their tops are golden, and when a skewer pierced through the centre comes out clean.
7. Enjoy!

3.5.3208