Fruity Coconut Muffins

These light and fruity muffins use one of my favourite fruits – feijoas! If you’re a feijoa fan you’ll love these (and if not, come to NZ to try them!) Vegan, dairy, egg, gluten and refined added sugar free.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, European

Keyword apple, feijoa, fruit, muffins

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 191kcal

Author Buffy Ellen Gill

Ingredients

1 tbsp chia seeds
3 tbsp water

Dry

2 c wholemeal spelt flour or for a gluten-free option,3/4 c buckwheat flour, 3/4 c brown rice flour + 1/2 c tapioca flour
1/2 c dates
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt

Wet

3/4 c Unsweetened Coconut Milk
1/4 c coconut oil melted
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c diced feijoa
1/2 to 3/4 c coconut chips
2 tbsp coconut sugar to top (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170°C / 350°F and grease a 12-cup regular muffin tin with extra coconut oil, or line with biodegradable paper liners.
Blitz the chia seeds in your food processor until they are semi ground (note that your processor probably won’t fully grind them, but that’s ok). Combine the ground chia seeds with water in a bowl, whisk together, and set aside to thicken.
Next in a bowl whisk together the wet ingredients and set aside.
In your food processor, add the dates and blend until they form a powder (it may be slightly sticky depending on how dry your dates are)
Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chia seed mixture with the wet ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to over mix. Fold in the diced feijoa.
Evenly divide the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Sprinkle with the coconut flakes and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If desired, sprinkle lightly with the remaining sugar. Cool for 10 minutes, then place on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Eat, love and enjoy! These muffins will keep in a sealed container in the cupboard for up to a week, and you can also freeze them.

Notes

For a gluten free option, you can use 3/4 c buckwheat flour + 3/4 c brown rice flour + 1/2 c tapioca flour, or 1c buckwheat flour + 1c brown rice flour + 1 tsp guar gum, instead of the wholemeal spelt flour. Or your favourite GF flour mix.
You can also use flaxseed, if you don't have any chia seeds handy.
If you'd rather avoid using your food processor, replace the dates with 1/4 c coconut sugar, and add to the recipe along with the dry ingredients.
If you don’t have feijoas, feel free to replace with any other seasonal fruit you have – peaches, apricots, plums, pears, apples, persimmons, all work beautifully. This recipe will become your go to fruit muffin template!
These muffins are just lightly sweetened, which I personally love. If you want to add a little extra sweetness to these (though they don't necessarily need it), simply add a tablespoon or two of coconut sugar to the mix.
To amplify the flavour of these fruity muffins even more, you could add a few drops of cinnamon essential oil to the mix. If you'd like to learn more about the incredible therapeutic benefits of plant-based essential oils, and how you can use them in your life and food, check out my introductory workshop here.

Nutrition