Before my much healthier grain-free days I did enjoy an occasional grain-filled gluten-free muffin, but it was definitely never my favorite snack. And they certainly could never sustain me for any length of time.

But in these grain-free days I have come to love muffins – the grain-free kind of course! Without grains muffins cannot only be delicious, but they can also be full of good protein, fat – AND even vegetables 🙂 That’s basically a whole meal in one muffin- not that I would ever consider a meal to be JUST one muffin, but this does make them perfect for a grab-and-go kind of day.

So, as I began “playing in the kitchen” (my husband’s naming of my frequent activity in the kitchen) and creating this recipe I knew that I wanted it to be quite wholesome.  I also knew that I wanted it to include what has become one of my favorite baking ingredients – toasted coconut butter.  I love how it lends a subtle toasty flavor to Paleo baked goods that is otherwise hard to achieve.  It’s also much more gentle on our guts than a nut butter (and we are all about some gut-healin’!)

These muffins definitely have that delicious toasty flavor, making them wonderfully savory. They are also full of protein, healthy fats, and some hidden vegetable vitamins 😉  This recipe is quite basic – and I am certain that I will revisit it soon to spice it up for this coming fall! 🙂  Please let me know if you decide to add some dried fruit, nuts, coconut, or fun spices!  I believe these tasty muffins can be quite versatile for you. Enjoy!

Savory Paleo Muffins

Prep: 15 min       Cook: 20 – 22 min       Yields: 12 muffins

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup toasted coconut butter (freshly made or warmed to a liquid state)
• 3/4 cup baked sweet potato, skins removed (warm or at room temperature)
• 1/3 cup palm shortening or grass-fed butter (at room-temperature)
• 4 eggs (at room temperature)
• 3 tbsp coconut flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Tools:

• 12-cup muffin pan
• Food processor OR hand mixer and large bowl
• Parchment paper or silicone muffin cups
• Small oven-safe dish

Directions

1. Fill the small oven-safe dish with water, place in oven to the side or on the lower rack.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with parchment paper or silicone muffin cups.  If you do not have either, grease pan SUPER WELL (but know they may still stick without the parchment paper or silicone muffin cups – this is normally the case for all Paleo baked goods.)
2. Add toasted coconut butter, sweet potato and palm shortening (or butter) to a food processor and process until smooth. (If you do not have a food processor – Add to a large bowl and use an electric hand-mixer.)
3. Make sure that the batter is not hot before adding the eggs, if not – add all four eggs and process until smooth. If the batter is hot – crack your eggs in a separate bowl and temper with a spoonful of the hot batter before adding.
4. Add remaining ingredients to the batter, process until smooth.
5. Using a measuring cup or an ice cream scooper distribute the batter evenly between the 12 cups. Gently shake the pan once complete to smooth out the batter.
6. Bake for 18-20 min before opening the oven.  At this point, check the muffins.  They are done once they are slightly firm to touch on top or an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  If the muffins are not done at 20 min, leave for an additional 2 minutes, and check again (they will burn quickly.)
7. Let cool for 3-5 minutes before serving.  They are wonderful smeared with coconut oil and a sprinkling of sea salt.  Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container – they can be stored on the counter for 3-5 days, or in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

Enjoy 🙂

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