[Gluten-Free] Strawberry Muffins

Last year around this time, I had a very important conversation with my cousin Amanda about strawberries. I remember like it was yesterday. It was strawberry season here in Florida and everyone was giddy with happiness because that's what happens when spring-time sunshine arrives and finally brings those beautiful, sweet, juicy berries back into our lives. It's the season that marks the beginning of the warmer temperatures we're all used to and then immediately leads to panicked thought that you must get a tan ASAP before anyone sees you in shorts. Oh man. I need a tan...

But this is not a blog post about the advantages of having tanned legs. It's a confession. A food confession. So the conversation with Amanda was about our love for strawberries. What we like to put them in. How we like to eat them. And then she turned to me and said, "You should make strawberry muffins!" My mind was blown... strawberry muffins... of course! I had made blueberry muffins and banana muffins, but never muffins that showcased my favorite fruit... strawbabies. It was a completely brilliant plan. 

I raced home and made them. Patrick and I absolutely loved them! But I wanted to test the recipe a few more times just to make sure they were irresistible. Well, one thing led to another and before I knew it our local strawberry season was over. Then I realized, I never gave Amanda one of my strawberry muffins to try! Oh brother. I knew she was going to ask me about it. Trust me, nothing gets passed my family. When she finally asked me about my strawberry muffins, I couldn't lie. I told her I had made them and they were...delicious. She immediately threw her head back, closed her eyes, and grimaced. It was like I had just told her there wasn't going to be a Christmas this year.

For a whole year she held it over my head. So the moment this strawberry season came, I pulled out that recipe and worked on it until I was satisfied. I added almond flour for texture and extra protein. I used coconut oil and almond milk to keep it light and healthy. It was exactly what I wanted. Then, finally, Amanda got her delicious strawberry muffin. Whew. Another food crisis averted. Now, if I could just get a tan... :)

[Gluten-Free] Strawberry Muffins

I could eat these muffins everyday and not get tired of them! The agave and cinnamon really bring out the natural flavor and sweetness in the fresh strawberries. And while they’re hearty enough to hold you over, they’re light enough to not weigh you down.

Lauren Marie’s Tip: Make the batter the night before, keep in the fridge, and just bake in the morning! Fresh muffins for breakfast? Brilliant!

Makes 18 muffins

1 cup almond flour

¾ cup sorghum flour

¾ cup brown rice flour

½ cup tapioca starch

1 tablespoon baking powder

2½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon xanthan gum

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs

½ cup light agave nectar

¼ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

½ cup coconut oil

1¼ cups almond milk

½ teaspoon vanilla

1½ cups diced strawberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together almond flour, sorghum flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, cinnamon, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, agave, and brown sugar until combined. Then whisk in coconut oil, almond milk, and vanilla. Add half of the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Then add the remaining half and stir until everything is incorporated. Fold in the diced strawberries.

Use a standard ice cream scoop or large spoon to spoon the batter into each muffin tin. Bake for 20-22 minutes (12-14 minutes for mini-muffins) or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool. 

recipe courtesy: laurenmarieglutenfree.com