Healthy Living How To reader, Wendy, asked me to give a healthy makeover to the boxed variety of chocolate chip muffins. You see, this busy mom has made these muffins, as an easy on-the-go breakfast for herself and her children. However, Wendy is working on reducing both sugar and wheat in her family's diet, so she sought out my help on how to make her favorite chocolate chip muffins without both. Challenge accepted and conquered!
Let's Get Ready to Rumble!
The Ingredient Round
- 9 ingredients vs 14.
- Natural unsalted roasted almond butter vs vegetable oil and palm oil.
- Organic raw coconut flour vs wheat flour.
- Organic and fair trade dark chocolate chips vs chocolate chips from unknown source.
- Non-GMO verified erythritol vs two different types of processed (most likely GMO) sugar.
- Aluminum-free baking powder vs baking powder from unknown source.
- Celtic sea salt with healthy minerals intact vs processed salt stripped of nutrition.
In addition to the ingredients in common, there are a few ingredients that are not.
What say you, do we know enough to declare a winner?
The Nutrition Facts Round
The winner is obvious (to me) without having to point anything out here, however, I will anyways, 85% reduction in sugar!
Who do you think is victorious in this round?
Sidenote: While some people believe that replacing processed white sugar with a “natural sugar”, like say honey, is healthier, I am not one of those people. Honey may be natural, but it still elevates blood sugar and it has just as much fructose as high-fructose corn syrup.
The Health Halo Round
If “health halo” is a new term to you, it is basically the descriptions that food manufacturers put on the label to make you “think” their product is healthy. “As positive and conspicuous as these messages appear on package labels, the fact is they promise health benefits that defy the ingredients listed in small print.” Compare the health halos, review the ingredients and then you tell me…
Is this the knockout punch?
A healthy alternative for Chocolate Chip Muffins. As written this recipe is gluten/grain-free, dairy-free, low-carb and no added sugar. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1/4 c. Roasted Almond Butter (see notes)
- 1/4 c. Unsweetened Almond Milk (see notes)
- 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1/4-1/3 c. Granulated Sweetener - for sugar-free I use Swerve
- 1/4 c. Coconut Flour
- 1 tsp. Aluminum-Free Baking Powder
- Pinch Celtic Sea Salt
- 1/4 c. Dark Chocolate Chips
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line muffin tin with non-stick unbleached liners.
- In a high-speed blender add all ingredients, in order, except chocolate chips.
- Process on high until smooth, about 45 seconds.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Divide batter equally between 8 lined muffin tins.
- Bake 23-25 minutes.
- Cool on rack before serving.
Notes
This recipe has been tested with my preferred ingredients. Please consider, if I recommend a substitution, it will be included as a note in the recipe.
For this recipe, use an unsalted, no sugar added, smooth almond butter. Feel free to play with other nut or seed butters, just be sure it meets the aforementioned criteria.
Homemade unsweetened almond milk or store bought almond milk works in this recipe. If store bought, read the label and avoid carrageenan.
I use Swerve, a non-GMO verified erythritol that measures cup for cup like sugar. This naturally fermented low-carb sugar is gaining in popularity as it is now being carried by Whole Foods. Our local co-op here in the Minneapolis stocks it as well. I have quite a few readers who love this product and ask for my opinion on it, so I am playing with it in my recipes.
Click +1 Below. Then go give this healthy chocolate chip muffin recipe a try!
