Recipe: Caramel Apple Protein Muffins

I'm a bit of a protein muffin addict at the moment. We usually whip up 2-3 batches of protein filled treats each week to keep on hand for a quick and healthy snack or dessert option. 

But we don't make the same recipe every time! In fact, the best part of our protein treat addiction is that we're constantly creating new recipes and trying new combinations. As a general rule we remake one favourite a week and try out a brand new recipe a week - that way there's always something delicious around! 

These Caramel Apple Protein Muffins were born when we had waaaaaaaaaay too many apples in the house (after picking 6kg for the two of us on our apple picking trip) and I had a serious date craving. Combine the two and you get the most delicious protein muffin recipe that's full of flavour!

The muffin itself is moist and has just the right amount of cinnamon spice with juicy bursts of apple and caramel-like dates. They're soft and fluffy and I bet you'll find yourself making batch after batch after batch like we have been too!

Best of all? You can make up a big batch and freeze them to ensure you always have a quick and healthy option available. When you're ready to eat one, either defrost it in the fridge overnight or pop it into the microwave for 20-30 seconds and you're good to go!

But let me share the recipe with you! >> 

Healthy Caramel Apple Protein Muffins makes 12-14 muffins

low fat, gluten free, high protein, refined sugar free, clean eating friendly

1 1/2 cups (150g) gluten free oat flour (made from ground gluten free oats)* 

1/2 cup (50g) almond meal/flour

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (75g) protein powder** see notes

1/4 cup to 1/3 cup (50-75g) coconut sugar or brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Pinch of salt

2 tsp vanilla extract 

2 eggs 

2 egg whites (60g/1/4 cup) 

1/2 cup (120g) unsweetened applesauce 

~1/2 cup or 3-4 large medjool dates, roughly chopped

1 large apple of your choice, washed and diced

• Preheat your oven to 180C/355F
• Grease and or line your muffin tin and set aside. We find it's easiest to work with silicone muffin tins that have been lightly greased.
• Combine your oat flour, almond meal, protein powder, sugar, cinnamon, raising agents and salt in a medium mixing bowl. 
• Add in your vanilla extract, eggs, egg whites and applesauce, stirring until just combined.
• Fold in your apples and dates, mixing until your apples and dates are evenly distributed throughout your batter. 
• Fill your prepared muffin tins, filling each of the wells about 3/4 full. 
• Bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of your muffins), removing from the oven once your muffins have cooked through and a skewer inserted into the middle removes clean. 
• Allow to cool before serving. Once cooled completely, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze in zip lock bags where your muffins will keep for months.

Notes:

*Find out more about oats on a gluten free diet here. If you can't have or don't like oats, feel free to replace the 1 1/2 cups oat flour with 1 1/2 cups gluten free or regular flour of your choice (please don't use coconut flour as coconut flour has different baking properties to regular flours) 

**If you're using a sweetened protein powder you will probably only want to use the lesser amount of sweetener called for in the recipe. We used this unsweetened brown rice protein powder which we find is brilliant for baking!

But tell me, what's your favourite snack at the moment?

And what's one recipe you keep making over and over again? 

For us it's any sort of protein treat or healthy soup recipe, however, we have also found ourselves having grilled chicken with our healthy creamy mushroom sauce recipe and roasted potatoes once a week now that it's cold and we're looking for something warm and tasty for dinner!