Atara’s Recipe Pick of the Week #2 Superhero Muffins

Do NOT fear the ingredient list in this recipe. You will be forever changed by these high-protein, gluten free muffins! They are literally a meal in a muffin cup! And they are UBER delicious! I used dates and walnuts (both optional ingredients) which gave them crunch, sweetness, and texture. I also doubled the recipe because I knew they would fly in my house before I even could get them to a plate.  (My carb-crazy teenage son ate four before they were even cooled!)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond meal or flour

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

• 1/2 cup raisins, chopped dates, or chocolate chips (optional)

• 3 eggs, beaten

• 1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 zucchini)

• 1 cup grated carrots (about 2 carrots)

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 1/2 cup dark amber maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup standard muffin tin with paper muffin cups.

3. In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and walnuts, raisins, dates or chocolate chips (if using).

4. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, zucchini, carrots, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla.

5. Add to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. The batter will be thick.

6. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each to the brim.

7. Bake until the muffins are nicely browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25-35 minutes.