My kids absolutely love muffins. I’m not going to lie…I occasionally rely on boxed mixes because they are easy to make but I have been trying to make more homemade muffins lately because they are healthier. The thing I love about homemade muffins is that you get to control the ingredients you include in them. Substitute some whole wheat flour for the white flour, add a few healthy add ins like dried fruit, seeds and nuts, and substitute a natural sweetener like agave or honey for some of the white sugar. Sometimes you may have to play around with the recipe a bit but you can guarantee that your homemade muffin will be healthier than just about any boxed mix you can buy at the grocery store. If you have a grain mill you can grind your own whole wheat flour. This might sound hard but honestly it is incredibly easy to do and the resulting flour has a very nutty taste to it.
Here is a recipe for a Pumpkin Chia Seed muffin. I was inspired by the people over at Oprah.com but made a few small modifications. The addition of the chia seeds to baked goods is incredibly easy and it’s a great way to up the fiber content of your recipe, as well as add many nutrients like calcium and Omega 3 fatty acids. I used ground chia seeds in the batter itself and sprinkled the whole seeds right on top before I baked them. I received these chia seeds from Salba Smart which are different than regular chia seeds. Salba Smart offers both ground and whole chia seeds which makes it versatile to use in many recipes including your own homemade muffins. Or, just use a boxed mix and toss in a handful of chia seeds to boost the nutrition just a bit!
Pumpkin Chia Seed Muffins
Pumpkin Chia Seed Muffins
These easy homemade muffins are healthy and smell heavenly!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds , ground
- 1 cup white unbleached flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 TBSP whole chia seeds for sprinkling on the top
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the white flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground chia seeds, salt, and baking soda. Mix gently.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 eggs, vanilla, pumpkin, olive oil and agave nectar. mix on high speed until well blended.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- Using an icecream scoop, fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way full. You should get about 12 muffins
- Sprinkle the tops of muffins with a few chia seeds
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool on wire rack before serving.
What are some of your family’s favorite types of homemade muffins?
Disclaimer: In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials.”: I received product samples to try out in my recipe. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire and has worked in cancer research, academics, and biotechnology. Concern over the growing incidence of human disease and the birth of her children led her to begin living a more natural life. She quickly realized that the information she was learning along the way could be beneficial to many others and started blogging and freelance writing to share this knowledge with others. Learn more about her HERE.
These look really good!
This recipe is AWESOME! Something my entire family loves!
These look delicious! We just bought a hand grinder. This looks like the perfect recipe to try some freshly ground flour in!
They look really good and I don’t think they’d go against my diet
they are delicious and moist…of course I still enjoy putting butter on them!
Chia seeds are so good for you, this is a great way to add it in. I also LOVE pumpkin so Ill have to make this!