Our friends Stacy and Matt, also known as the Paleo Parents, came up with an amazing nut-free and inexpensive alternative to almond flour using…wait for it…RAW SUNFLOWER SEEDS. How genius is that?! I had to take their creativity to task and give it a try. I used my cheap-o coffee grinder instead of my heavy-duty Vitamix, (Stacy and Matt used a BlendTec – be sure to enter their give-away to win one), a sifter and the same technique that I use to make my homemade almond flour and voilà, a light and fluffy nut-free flour.
I was so excited about the idea of a nut-free, gluten-free, low-carb alternative to almond flour I hadn’t even thought about what I would do with it once I had made it. It didn’t take me long though…and the One Minute Muffin recipe popped in my head. It happens to be one of, if not “the”, most popular recipe that lands people to Healthy Living How To.
I modified the recipe a bit using a combination of coconut flour (which is not actually a “nut”) and my freshly ground sunflower seed flour. The result was a spectacular muffin that was made even more spectacular by toasting and slathering in ghee.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. Sunflower Seed Flour
- 1 Tbsp. Coconut Flour
- 1/2 tsp. Aluminum-Free Baking Powder
- Pinch Celtic Sea Salt
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 tsp. Ghee
Directions
- Melt ghee in a 4 1/2 inch ramekin in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
- In a small bowl, sift together sunflower seed flour, coconut flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add egg to flour mixture and whisk until all lumps are gone.
- Drizzle in melted ghee and whisk again.
- Spoon batter into ramekin and microwave for one minute.
- Remove from microwave with dish towel and invert on a cooling rack.
- Once cool, split in half, toast and enjoy.
Notes
For those of you who don’t have a microwave or limit microwave use, this can be baked in the oven at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. However, it is important to note it will not rise as much.
Here is picture I dug out to share of The Paleo Parents along with Tom and I from the 2012 Low-Carb Cruise! We did an excursion in Cozumel called the Amazing Race. It was a mini-version of the television show. We rocked it and brought home the first place medal!
After sharing the recipe for the One Minute Muffin on the Healthy Living How To Facebook Page, reader Jen wanted to know if the muffin would hold up for something like an egg sandwich. I said yes, and today I put it to the test. If I wasn’t allergic to cheese I would have slapped a big ol’ piece of it on my breakfast sandwich. And yes I dipped it in homemade ketchup.
I’m posting this on WB FB since many there are huge fans of your minute muffins
The question always comes up about alternatives to almond flour.
I really wanted to go on the cruise this year. As a Canadian I was pumped that Dr. Jay Wortman would be there. We are planning a backyard renovation though and fear both just are not in the budget
Maybe 2014!
Thanks for sharing Trina!
Can I replace the sunflower seed flour with ground pumpkin seeds?
I have not tried it, but you could, and then report back.
Very true about the sunflower seeds! I’ve began using sunflower seeds and pepitas as substitutes a few months ago and they work so wonderfully! I’ll have to try your breakfast muffin recipe…I love all your recipes so far
Thank you Alexis!
I am diabetic and need to know how the carbs compare to almond flour. Can you substitute measure for measure?
Thanks
Hi Andrea. You can figure out the carbs of recipes using online calculators like http://www.fitday.com or http://www.myfitnesspal.com . For this particular recipe there are 7 g carbs, 4 g fiber and 3 NET CARBS. As far as the carb count for sunflower seed flour… 1 oz. of sunflower seed flour is 160 calories, 14 g fat, 5 g carbs, 3 g fiber and 7 g protein. Hope that helps.
I notice you use celtic sea salt frequently. I have never seen it locally, but will order some. Do i get the finely ground?
Yes, I love my Celtic sea salt. It is not processed with the minerals intact. I prefer the finely ground.
Wow this recipe sounds fabulous as I’m allergic to nuts! Only problem is that I’m allergic to coconut, too….any idea how I’d substitute? I don’t have much experience with baking.
Hi Elaine, I would use my original one minute muffin recipe and sub the almond flour for sunflower seed flour.
Thank you! I ended up trying both versions, making this one for my friend and the other one for me. We decided this one was better, but they are both delicious and so simple! Thank you so much!!
Any recommendations on where to find gluten-free sunflower seeds? Even at my local Whole Foods, all the sunflower seed packages say they’re processed on the same equipment as wheat. I’m severely allergic, so I don’t want to take any risks with cross-contamination.
You could purchase online. Or ask Whole Foods to source for you?
This works!!! I can’t believe how easy it is! One more way to reduce my carboholic son’s grain intake. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Awesome!
i found your recipe for sunflower seeds , i mixed ground seeds and an egg andmilk and made patties out of it they taste wonderful but a few mins later they turned a green color is this natural…
Did you use baking soda or baking powder. Depending on the amount used it may cause a reaction. I use aluminum-free baking powder and have not had my baked goods make with sunflower seed flour turn green.
I wonder if I could use flax to sub for egg in this recipe? I sub it in many baked good but not sure about this recipe? ALSO…why go to all the trouble helping your health and being well and then use a microwave? LOL…just wonderin’.
I have tried the flax-egg for my egg-free readers and it flopped! Awwww microwaves, a modern day convenience that I still use and am perfectly okay with. I don’t use it every day, perhaps not even every week. Why? Because I am not convinced of the dangers, and yes I have looked at the studies. http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-microwave-cooking
i would like to make a loaf of bread with the flour , what ingredients would i use…thank-you
thank you for posting this. I’ve been searching everywhere for tips on what to use to grind my own nut flowers. I did switch to sunflower seeds from almonds (found out I was allergic to almonds ) but I guess it saved me money since they are so much cheaper. but my food processor just wont get them fine ground. not like flour, they have been tiny grounds of nuts. so I will try a similar coffee grinder and hopefully get the results you had.
I purchased organic raw sunflower seeds a few weeks ago, and have sub’d several recipes where it calls for cashew/almond flour and even cashew/almond butter. I haven’t ground mine into a paste (my blender isn’t strong enough), but it seems to work even if it’s not processed all the way to a paste. Great, less expensive way for making some great grain-free bread recipes.