Date-Sweetened Blueberry Muffins - These delicious, gluten-free muffins are sweetened with dates, NO other sweeteners. They're also low in oil and kid-friendly.
So, I think I found a pretty good doctor.
He's actually a functional medicine physician. I felt like he listened AND he actually contacted me ON HIS OWN to give me some lab results!
Now, you might not know this, but most doctors aren't worth their weight in salt.
I've been to many a doctor over the last 20 years, and it's been a while since one has impressed me the way he did.
After seeing one too many naturopaths who overbook themselves, misunderstand my case, load me up with supplements, or speak like they know something they clearly don't, I'm excited to have some hope!
I'm currently waiting on the results of a test that, well, isn't really appropriate to mention when I'm about to segue into food, lol! But, I'll keep you updated, likely in a non-food post.
Muffins sweetened with dates
This is an older recipe, but a really good one!
For me right now, dates are out, but my kids all love them, so I'll add them to smoothies and (occasionally) baked goods or energy balls.
I thought this recipe was a nice follow-up to the How To Soften Dates post I shared on Monday too!
Dates and applesauce make for a lightly sweet, incredibly moist muffin. It also has a really nice bite because of the combination of flour and oats.
The oats are only partially broken down when processing, leaving a hearty texture and a bit more chew than a flour-based muffin.
Recipe notes
If you use my Softened Dates tip, you'll need about 1/2 cup of the date mixture.
Though the amount of oil is minute, I would suggest adding it. I tried this recipe without it, and I noticed a difference that wasn't positive. If you're determined to make them fat-free, perhaps yogurt would work!
Substitute for applesauce
If you don't have (or want to use) applesauce, I've also made these with one large egg plus one tablespoon water.
If you like muffins, try some of these
No Sugar Added Chocolate Banana Muffins
Date-Sweetened Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
WET INGREDIENTS:
- 8 large dates I used Medjool
- ⅓ cup applesauce see below recipe for substitution
- 2 tsp oil I use olive
- ½ cup milk of your choice
DRY INGREDIENTS:
- ¾ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup brown rice flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup blueberries if you use frozen, thaw them prior to adding
- ½ tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Process the dates until broken down (see Notes).
- Add in the applesauce, oil, and milk, and process until mixture is smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients into the processor and mix until combined.
- Lastly, pulse in the lemon juice.
- STIR in the blueberries, don't process them unless you want blue batter!
- Divide the batter among 8 muffin cups (be sure they are lined or oiled).
- Bake 15-18 minutes until the tops are golden.
Notes
Nutrition
Adapted from this recipe
If you have a chance to try this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below letting me know how you liked it!
Heather Holmes
These are going to be great! WE LOVE THE SKINNY BANANA BREAD!! We make it two loaves at a time! I personally think its awesome you care so much about your preschooler its to bad more people dont care as much as you do! Thanks for helping us out with these low fuss high health creations of yours! I feel a cookbook in your near future..we'd buy it!
Lauren
Hah, thanks so much Heather! You made my morning!...and I'm so happy you enjoy the banana bread. 🙂
Shannon @ moveeatcreate.com
I think it's so great that you do this for your child, though I'm quite sorry you feel the pushback from others. I don't have kids, but I can tell you that I often get pushback from people about my dietary choices (gluten free, plant based, generally free of super processed foods) and it's never easy for me. While I have learned what to say and how to say it, it always feels uncomfortable and sometimes I find myself lingering with righteous anger or hurt feelings for a day. It's nice to know others are out there doing it, too - maybe it'll get easier some day!
Lauren
Thanks Shannon! I'm hoping as more people change their diets for health reasons or weight loss, true healthy eating will become even more mainstream. Though I don't want you to be uncomfortable, it's nice to see that you understand what I mean!
Amanda
That's terrible that you're getting not-so-supportive feedback from the preschool staff. Stay strong! You know your daughter best, and allergies or not, serving kids processed junk food is a shame. My mom is actually a preschool teacher and she's often horrified at the food parents send with their kids. She even has children with clear food intolerances whose parents refuse to make dietary changes. It's really unfortunate that some people are so set in their (unhealthy) ways.
Lauren
I was just noticing yesterday the crap that some kids were eating! It's awesome that your mom is so aware though. Too bad she's not in Tucson! 🙂
marquis @realrawkitchen
These looks absolutely delicious. And I love that they are actually healthy. A lot of times I feel like muffin recipes are "healthy" options but still loaded with so much. These look dense and delicious. I am traveling this weekend so they may be a perfect travel snack!
And I really admire you being committed to your child's health. I'm really shy and have thin skin as well so it gets so uncomfortable when I receive a lot of questions, snarky comments, and overall insensitivity to me decisions.. I can only imagine what it's like with a child! I feel like when it comes to children everyone feels like they are experts and therefore feel like it's their duty to say something. But you're absolutely right to take charge and what's strange to me is that there is a lot of research coming out saying that diet is absolutely related to "ADHD", no questions about it (duh), yet there isn't a shift in the way we feed our children, yet.
haha anyway.. this is a topic that really gets me going so I'm very happy to read this post 🙂
Lauren
Thanks so much Marquis! I too often find 'muffin' recipes that qualify more as cupcakes, haha.
It does seem as though everyone is an expert when it comes to how you're raising your child or what you're writing on your own blog, so I can relate to you that it can be frustrating and hard not to tell those people off. Thanks for your sweet comment! 🙂
Matt @ Runner Savvy
Looks delicious!
Lauren
That's great that you were able to help your children in that way Mary. You sound as conscientious as myself. Yikes, about the schools! I sure hope that's not the case here! It's scary the amount of control we seem to be losing in our lives each day.
Angie@Angie's Recipes
I am not kidding that I had to bring my own food to the family X'mas dinner..well, I just can't eat things loaded with sugar and unhealthy fat. Your family lucky having you preparing healthy and delicious meals for them.
These blueberry muffins look wholesome, Lauren. Love your blog and I will definitely visit often.
Happy Sunday!
Angie
Angie@Angie's Recipes
Is the Stevia powder you used here a pure extract or a mixture? I have pure stevia extract (300 times sweeter than sugar), stevia liquid (250 times sweeter) and a mixture which is just 10 times sweeter...which one I should use if I am going to make a batch of these delicious muffins?
Lauren
Hi Angie! Thank you for your sweet comments! I use a pure stevia extract, no fillers or other additives. 🙂 Hope that helps!!
Gabby @ the veggie nook
YUM! When I get my hands on some more blueberries I am totally going to try these! Stay strong and fight for what you believe in! Your commitment to your daughter's health is amazing and it will be worth the fight!
Lauren
Thanks so much Gabby! 🙂
dina
i love healthy treats. they look great!
Sienna
Oh my! These mouthwatering muffins look so delicious!
One question: Did you use whole, rolled (flakes) or steel cut oats?
Thanks for this recipe 😀
Lauren
Thanks Sienna! I used whole, rolled oats, sorry if that's unclear. I'll amend it asap. 🙂
Sienna
Okay thanks! Another question: If I want to use whole wheat flour instead of brown rice flour, how many cups shall I use? When using rice flour you need more liquid, so do I need to cut down on milk or applesauce?
Thanks again!
Lauren
You could just substitute the same amount of whole wheat flour, so 1/4 cup. 🙂
amber
Lauren. I am in the SAME boat my friend. I make Ethan's snack everyday for preschool! I am the only mother who does this. They eat a "community" meal and so a table of 4 or 5 kiddos get a big tray of the same food and they all share. This was BEYOND distressing for me when Ethan started. I couldn't sleep the first night. Even though the school was fine with me providing his own food, I was so afraid of Ethan feeling left out or different. And I soon discovered they don't serve very healthy food anyway, so I am fine with bringing my own for him. It's a coop school (only 3 hours M - Th). And I love it. It's mandatory to volunteer once a week and we have a bunch of classes to attend and weekends where we clean the school, stuff like that. It's a small school (only 17 kids in his class - Per-K) and I just really love it. Love the kids and the parents are great. Dare I say many of them are inspired by my daily creations. Like when the snack is Oreo cookies (blah) I am up the night before making him a gluten free, dairy free, refined/cane-sugar free HEALTHY alternative, and many of the parents are intrigued by what I bring in. Oh, and his school is also tree nut/peanut free, so I have to modify some of my good-to recipes. But at first I felt like an outcast and wondered if others were judging me. One night all the parents had a meeting/get to know you gathering, and we shared our families and our "story." I shared Ethan's journey from severe head-to-toe eczema at 4 months old to remission at 4 years old (healing with 100% diet and homemade remedies). I also shared my health issues with Lupus and Crohns and my diet/alternative eating. Now parents come up to me and ask me about this or that, diet stuff, food stuff, health stuff. I also shared my blog with the parents in case they were interested in learning more about me and our family (or to check out my recipes).
I now feel empowered and feel like it's a safe place for me to just be US, you know. But the first few weeks were difficult. I am lucky too in that Ethan only knows an alternative diet - he only eats gluten free, dairy free, cane-sugar free, soy free foods. And he is fine with what I make him and fine passing on the foods offered there (he never cries or feels left out). But I always try to provide the same food (but healthier). We don't make a big deal about food, so I think that helps too. I will be glad though when he starts kindergarten in this fall. I don't have to worry about this community eating and I can send him to school with all his healthy food! 🙂
Lauren, you're not alone my sweet friend. You're an amazing mother and your children are so lucky to have you and eat all your yummy, healthy creations!!! Keep it up and don't let the haters bring you down (ha ha). Hold your head high and be proud of being educated in healthy foods and making the best choice for your family.
Hugs,
--Amber
Lauren
Thanks so much Amber! I've felt the same way with not wanting Jadie to feel left out, but there's really no alternative. I'm not in contact with any other parents, but it would be nice to have had the experience with them like you did. Why do you not live here??
Thank you so much again for your thoughtful comment. It really helps to hear others' experiences, and I just really appreciate your input. 🙂
Sheila
Can I substitute almond flour for the brown rice flour?
Lauren
I would think it would work, though I've not tried it. 🙂
Teresa
The recipe looks great, I will try immediately
I fully agree with you on your food approach for your daughter
Unfortunately, all these was not known when my children were little kids
I am sure we would have avoided many issues including asthma if we would have known all what know today about issues due wheat, gluten, sugar, etc.
Cheri
I whipped these up this morning for breakfast for my 3 and 5 year old daughters...they were so, so good! Loved every bite! I used almond flour instead of rice flour and soaked my oats in almond milk over night. I also ate my muffin(s!) by crumbling them into a bowl, topped off with almond milk...like a delicious warm cereal. Amazingly good! Thank you for all your wonderful gluten-free recipes!
Lauren
Yum yum, that 'muffin cereal' sounds delicious Cheri, I'll have to try that myself! So happy you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Moran
I once went to a playground with my youngest which was 7 months at the time. One of the mommies there was giving her one year old what we call Bamba here, which is a (seriously tasty) unhealthy overly processed peanut butter snack. My baby was obviously looking, simply interested what is this new thing in front of her, and I was going to take her aside to play with something else when the other mommy asked me if she can give my baby some Bamba. Now I usually don't spill my thoughts of how is best to feed your kids to strangers so I just replied "no, thanks, she's only 7 months old". I mean, if they don't even know what it is, why shove it to them? Her response was "My kids eat Bamba from 5 months", and with a proud look on her face she continued and told my baby "I would have given you, but your mommy doesn't allow".
Oh well...
I try focusing on the positive side, as I do see a positive trend within the real world as well as the online world, where more and more people are looking for the healthier alternatives.
Happy to read posts like this one to see someone else is having similar difficulties.
Moran
Frances
FYI, many people give their kids bamba (peanut flavored corn puff) from early on to help decrease the risk of nut allergy by increase if nut exposure safely. Know before you judge.
A life with anaphylaxis allergies in your child are not fun.
Hanna
This is my type of recipe: no sugar, no oil, no gluten!!
Miz Helen
What a great recipe combination, looks awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday, 552 and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Erica Politica
Step 5 says to pulse in vinegar, but vinegar isn't listed as an ingredient. How much should I use and what kind of vinegar?
Lauren
Sorry, that should read 'lemon juice'. 🙂