Sweet Potato & Choc-Chip Muffins – Paleo Treats
I find myself wanting to eat baked goods like muffins, cookies and cakes very rarely now I’m Paleo. There’s always an abundance of ‘real food’ like meats, veggies, eggs, fruit and nuts sitting in my fridge, and nine times out of ten I will always go for something from this list rather than starting a batch of Paleo brownies or cupcakes. There are times, however, when the aspiring chef within you wants to make a sweet treat for the whole family; but it's often a battle finding a recipe that is full of goodness.
These sweet potato muffins are one of the exceptions to the rule. They pack in a ton of goodness from the nutrient dense eggs, coconut flour, flaxseed and the sweet potatoes themselves. The sweet potato and cinnamon combination is divine, and the chocolate chips add an extra bit of indulgence. Give them a try – you won’t be disappointed!
Sweet Potato and Chocolate Chip Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin tray
- Paper or silicon muffin cases
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups roasted sweet potato mashed and left to cool
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/3 cup raw organic honey
- 2 heaped tbsp ground flaxseed
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 100 g dark chocolate chips at least 70% or a 100g bar of dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
- 1 tbsp gluten-free baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F. Line an 8-hole muffin tray with paper or silicon cases.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a bowl, combine the sweet potato mash with the coconut oil, eggs, almond milk, and honey. Whisk together until smooth.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the flaxseed, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Combine Ingredients: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to make a batter. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Fill the Muffin Cases: Pour the muffin batter into the cases, filling to about 2/3 of the way up.
- Bake: Bake on the top shelf of your oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
- Ensure the sweet potato is fully cooled before mixing to avoid cooking the eggs prematurely.
- Use dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa for a richer flavour.
- These muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
5 Ways to Add More Coconut Oil to Your Diet
You know the health benefits of coconut oil by now. It’s loaded with MCT’s (Medium Chain Triglycerides) and is a wonderful source of healthy saturated fat. It’s antiseptic, antimicrobial and anti-fungal, is excellent at improving gut health and even boosts your metabolism. There’s also a lot of research indicating it’s great for dementia/ Alzheimer's patients.
If you’re not the greatest fan of eating it by the spoonful (personally, I love nothing better, but we’re all different!), then it can be tricky getting copious amounts of the stuff into your diet. I get a lot of emails from people really keen to consume it – but who hate the flavour. Whilst you can get refined coconut oil, with none of the taste, it is a refined product – far better to go for the purest oil you can find.
If you’re looking to up your intake of coconut oil in a delicious way, then check out some of the great ideas below.
- Bulletproof coffee – I've covered Bulletproof Coffee before as it is a fabulous way to enjoy the saturated goodness of coconut oil in liquid form. To make a DIY Bulletproof coffee, put a generous spoonful of coconut oil into a black coffee, and enjoy the creamier, mellower beverage it creates. Bulletproof coffee is also a proven energy boost and is a great start to the day if you are practising intermittent fasting.
- Coconut oil chocolate – who doesn't love chocolate!? Home made chocolate bites are a fantastic way to get a little more coconut oil in your life. Simply melt down 1 tbsp coconut oil, and mix in 1 tsp cacao powder and half a teaspoon of raw honey. Leave this to set in the freezer for 20 minutes, and you’ll have a delicious block of coconut oil chocolate to enjoy! It’s extra tasty with a couple of chopped macadamias or goji berries thrown into the mix too.
- Smoothies – if you’re making smoothies, why not add an extra dose of healthy fats by adding a tablespoon of coconut oil to the blender? You won’t notice the taste, but it will add a subtle creaminess to the mix.
- Roasted Veggies – As one of the healthiest oils to roast with, coconut oil is a fantastic choice for tossing your favourite veggies in before roasting. It’s flavourless when used in this way, so works brilliantly if you’re adding herbs and spices to the mix. My favourite mix is sweet potato and delicata squash, tossed in a generous amount of melted coconut oil then sprinkled with cinnamon, rosemary, thyme and black pepper. Delicious!
- Paleo baked goods – I'm not the biggest fan of Paleo baking, but when the occasion arrives, you could do a far lot worse than using generous amounts of coconut oil to make super moist muffins or melt in the mouth cookies.
These are just a few tasty ways to ramp up your coconut oil intake. Have I missed any?
