Lemony Cornmeal Blueberry Muffins
Have a craving for a Cornmeal Muffin with a twist? I have you covered with these Lemony Cornmeal Blueberry Muffins! They are gluten and dairy free (it does have an egg) and are not as dense as a regular plain cornmeal muffin (which I do love as well, with a bowl of Chili or at Thanksgiving). Filled with good healthy nutrition to nourish you body and soul. Make a cup of your favourite hot beverage, sit back and enjoy these muffins for breakfast or anytime of the day when you need to take a moment for yourself or as a lovely loving treat for your family and friends.
Oat Flour – simply ground up whole oats - a nutrient dense, gluten free whole grain, high in fiber and higher amounts of protein than other grains. Oats are a rich source of manganese and phosphorous and thiamin (VitB1).
Lemons are a good source of VitC which protects your heart from disease and stroke, good against the formation of kidney stones as it increases pH making a less hospitable environment for the formation of kidney stones, the citric acid in lemons help absorb iron better in the body, and studies have shown that citrus fruits help to fight certain cancers.
Cornmeal is a rich source of plant-based protein and is a good source of folic acid which helps to assimilate the protein in our bodies. Cornmeal also contains thiamine which supports our nervous system, as well as iron, that supports the production of red blood cells and niacin that supports the cardiovascular system. There are different colours of cornmeal – yellow cornmeal is high in carotenoid antioxidants supports eye health and lessens the chances of macular degeneration, cancer and heart diseases.
Blueberries – berries are a superfood, loaded with antioxidants, are anti-inflammatory, do not spike blood sugar, are a rich source of VitC, Manganese, VitK, contain the mineral folate and are fiber-rich.
Eggs are also in the superfood category. They are wonderfully nutritious – they contain Vit A, B5, B2, B6, B12, D, E and K, phosphorous, calcium, folate, zinc, selenium and many trace minerals beneficial for our health.
Oat Milk is a great alternative plant-based milk when wanting to reduce your dairy intake. It is thicker in consistency than almond milk (a popular plant-based milk alternative) and acts like milk for frothing and in baked goods. It is vegan, and being made from oats, is nut free. Commercial oat milk is often fortified with riboflavin (VitB2) and VitB12. Oat milk (and oats) is high in beta glucan, a soluble fiber. When ingested, beta glucan creates a gel-like substance within the gut that binds to cholesterol to reduce its absorption and this in turn supports the lowering of blood cholesterol levels, especially levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, which has been linked to heart disease.
As always, when you make this recipe, I would love to see your creation so please post a photo of your Lemony Cornmeal Blueberry Muffins goodness and tag my IG account #RenataCollective or leave a comment with your thoughts!
Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cook Time: 15-20 minutes / Makes 12 Muffins
Ingredients
½ Cup Plant-Based Butter – or butter if not dairy free
1 Egg
½ Cup Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice
¾ Cup Oat Milk – or another non-dairy milk of your choice, or dairy milk if not dairy free
½ Cup Gluten Free Flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1)
¾ Cup Oat Flour (whirl oats in your food processor or blender until they are a flour consistency)
1 Cup Cornmeal
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Lemon Zest and extra to top each muffin
½ teaspoon Sea Salt
2/3 Cup Blueberries and extra to top each muffin
How It’s Made
Preheat your oven to 375°F and line the cups with paper or silicone liners.
Melt the butter. Cool for 5 minutes while you mix the other wet ingredients together.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, lemon juice and oat milk. Add the slightly cooled melted butter and whisk until well blended.
In a larger bowl, stir together the flours, cornmeal, baking powder, lemon zest and salt.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients in, mixing well until the mixture is smooth.
Gently stir in the blueberries.
Fill the muffin cups ¾ full and top with a few blueberries and a sprinkle of lemon zest.
Bake for 15 minutes. Test for doneness by sticking a sharp knife in a muffin and if it comes out with a crumb or two, they are done. You don’t want wet batter on the knife. If they aren’t quite done, bake for another 5 minutes and test again.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before devouring! These muffins keep at room temperature in an air tight container for a couple of days and then keep them in the fridge to keep them fresh longer.
Enjoy!
