You can’t beat using a wet and dreary Sunday as the perfect excuse to spend a few hours in the kitchen. I welcomed a recent downpour for just this reason. After whipping up my weekly loaf of paleo bread I moved onto these bites of gluten free goodness.

My inspiration for these muffins was twofold – firstly I had a mason jar of picked cherries waiting to be used. I made these spiced & pickled cherries during Australia’s short cherry season around Christmas time and almost forget about them……

Secondly a recipe for cherry muffins from Ros at Cooking Up The Pantry caught my attention and tempted me to turn my pickled cherries into muffins. I didn’t follow Ros’ recipe because I wanted to make them gluten free with a strawberry twist too.

These muffins are super moist and  super easy to make. They’re gluten free and contain no added sugar. Perfect for picnics, lunchboxes and saintly desserts.

Adapted from a recipe at glutenfreegodess

Ingredients

Makes 12 small muffins

Dry ingredients

• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup coconut flour*
• 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 to 1 tsp stevia or other natural sweetener
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

* I’ve read that coconut flour is especially good in baking for attracting moisture and creating a lovely texture. I use coconut flour in my paleo bread for the same reason.

Wet ingredients

• 1/4 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed of excess water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp chia seeds, soaked for 15 mins in 2 tbsp water
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup of mixed strawberries and cherries, chopped
• 30ml olive oil or macadamia oil
• 30ml apple cider vinegar

Method

1. Sieve all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Reserve 12 pieces of strawberry.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 175C and line a 12 case muffin tin with baking paper.
3. Add the zucchini, strawberries, cherries, oil, vinegar, vanilla extract and remaining strawberries and cherries to another bowl.
4. Mix through the soaked chia seeds thoroughly to avoid them clumping.
5. Carefully fold the lightly beaten eggs into the bowl of wet ingredients.
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients (this creates a more even distribution than pouring the dry into the wet).
7. Carefully fold the ingredients together whilst slowly pouring in the milk.
8. Using two spoons transfer the mixture to muffin cases – filling each case 3/4 full to allow for rising.
9. Top each muffin with a piece of the reserved strawberry.
10. Bake in the centre of the oven for around 30 minutes. Once cooked transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Serve with creamy Greek yoghurt

By Laura (Feast Wisely)

You may also like:

• Banana & oat cookies – no added sugar
• Banana Veggie muffins (GF)
• Ginger & apple muffins
• Tiramisu – with extra chocolate (& no added sugar)