Everyone loves fruity muffins, but they’re even better for your health when they are Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins!
I was trying to think of other things to have for breakfast instead of eggs, fruit and Greek yogurt or the 5 other options in my Zen Beach Diet book. All are fabulous choices but sometimes you want something that still fits the Ray Peat Inspired eating model, but is a little different. The fact that it can be eaten with the amazing protein filled cottage cheese and zesty marmalade is just an added bonus.
My aim was to have it full of fruit and minimise the starch, but still have it taste like a baked muffin. I think I got there! These Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins are light and delicate and not the usual heavy doughy fare.
Have a go and see what you think.
Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins
Equipment
- electric beater
- muffin tin
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs or 3 small eggs
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup potato starch
- 1/2 tsp bicarb soda
- 1 cup blueberries frozen or fresh
Instructions
- Ensure the eggs are at room temperature. (If I forget to take them out beforehand, I just dip them in warm water for a few minutes to take the chill off.)
- Measure out your blueberries in a cup and leave them to defrost a little if using frozen.
- Pull out your muffin tin and greaseproof baking paper. Cut 8 squares of paper (about 10cm x 10cm - about 4 x 4inches.) I also grease these with butter as these are delicate muffins that stick to everything. My first few attempts rammed this home to me!
- Separate the eggs.
- With an electric beater, whip the whites and salt until little peaks form. (About 3 minutes.)
- In a bowl mix the egg yolks, sugar, bicarb soda.
- Sift the flour over the egg whites and mix together carefully.
- Then mix through the yolk mixture. (Try to mix the least you can but still have it combine because otherwise you squash all the air in the egg whites.)
- Line each muffin section with paper then fill two tablespoons full of the mixture, keep doing this until all 8 are in the tin. Then top up each evenly by the tablespoon until all the mix is used.
- Then drop a few blueberries in each and keep going until all the blueberries are used up. They will sink to the bottom while cooking but I found if I mix them with the mixture it squashes the egg whites more and makes the whole thing purple!
- Bake at 180C (360F) for 15 minutes until just brown on top. Allow to cool for a few minutes before eating.
- Store extras in an air tight container in the pantry overnight. Now I’m not sure how much longer they last than a day because we make this small batch eat some and then warm them up in the microwave and have them the second day. So if you keep them longer than this and they are still ok please let me know.
Also I use Potato Starch as it is the lightest Peaty flour that is not a grain, and we still get the delicate texture with all the egg whites and bicarb. However any type of self raising flour/light flour will work — you may just prefer another type of flour.
Alternative directions: The ‘I don’t have time to mess around’ method!
While I love the airy texture of the first method, I get that people may not have all that time to fluff around and may not have the electric beater either. So I tried it a different way and it still works. It’s not as fluffy but my husband prefers it, as he says it has more body to it.
So all we do is:-
- In a bowl throw in the eggs and salt (that’s both the whites and yolks) and use a stick blender or even use your blender or food processor and whip it up the best you can. Just for a few minutes so you can see the bubbles.
- Add the sugar, sifted flour and bicarb and whip some more until blended.
- Same method spooning into the paper and muffin tin.
- Same method to add the blueberries and to bake.
So a little easier to just blend and bake.
I like to serve these warm with cottage cheese and marmalade.
What will you put on yours?
Happy munching,
Kristy x
