These muffins are a result of a desire to make pina colada cupcakes with coconut frosting and shaved coconut flakes on top, an effort to keep up with the grain and flour free desserts trend and a curiosity of what happens if you add quinoa to muffins. Somewhere down the road came along protein. Shocking?! I know.
As I’m trying to get slim for the summer and wear a bikini for the 1st time after having my 2nd child, I have been implementing some changes to my lifestyle.
First, I cut out the agave nectar from coffee and don’t drink coffee every morning anymore. At the end of the day, agave is still sugar and sugar is not a friend in a girl’s weight loss journey. Not that I avoid it completely but I reduced it to the minimum.
For the same reason, I stopped indulging into wine every weekend. Wine is sugar too and my biggest problem is I can’t drink a glass and stop. I will drink 3, eat half of the dark chocolate bar and finish the Saturday night with some ice cream. Sounds familiar?! Yes, after a glass of wine I lose total self-control.
So, I’m glad to report I have been spending weekends and weeks without alcohol. It is challenging in the evening but super rewarding the next morning and all day. Try it! Let me know how it feels.:)
Do you think I have a problem with wine? No worries, I KNOW! If you are a parent, you must have an “addiction”. Let’s admit it, everyone has their weak spot.
So…muffins. These dotty yellow little guys are completely gluten free, vegetarian and could be vegan if you substitute whey protein for any kind of vegetarian protein powder. No added sugar either.
It is my second time making muffins with less or no flour. Previously I made mango bran protein muffins with no white flour, less whole wheat flour and wheat bran. They were a hit in my house and among my readers.
After making coconut chia gel twice, 1st time for testing, 2nd time for the photo shoot, I was left with 4 cups of it. 2 cups went for making protein chia coconut macaroons and the other 2 ended up in these Pina Colada Quinoa Protein Muffins.
The muffins came out very moist thanks to the coconut milk and pineapple bits, and at the same time crunchy because of quinoa and chia seeds.
Once baked, quinoa obtains the roasted flavour. You know when you heat the milk on a stovetop and it burns on the bottom a little bit, the taste has that flavour?! Roasted or toasted, whatever you want to call it in English. English is not my first language. Anyways, it’s super good…that flavour.
I remember my grandma used to make oven roasted milk. Pour milk into an aluminum or any other heat resistant pot and bake in the oven. The milk obtains creamy colour and roasted flavour.
You will need to add coconut flour to help the batter stay together as the eggs and/or egg whites have been completely replaced with chia gel. Chia gel has amazing abilities to act as a binder in baked goods. Read this article.
Coconut flour plays games with my mind. It’s like an almond meal. It’s just ground dehydrated coconut and ground almonds. Period. It’s not a flour. That’s why I mean these muffins are flour free. If you do not have coconut flour use oat flour (grind oats in a food processor into fine powder).
The recipe is also perfect for using leftover cooked quinoa. I tried to bake the muffins with uncooked quinoa and the result wasn’t quite as good.
Use canned unsweetened pineapple bits in pineapple juice. Make sure to add the bits and juice separately for an equal ratio. Precise measures are very important for good results in baking.
Because you will be baking at low oven temperature, covering the muffins with tin foil will make sure they do not dry out before ready.
Quinoa muffins do not rise much either as we are not using any gluten flour, so don’t be shy to load those cups with batter to the fullest. Still make sure your tin foil sits loosely on top of the baking pan, so it doesn’t ruin the beautiful dotty muffin tops.
I used foil lined muffin cups and oh I LOVED them!
The muffins do not stick to the cups and the cups do not fade in the baking process. You can use regular muffin cups, the batter is quite fatty and moist, so the muffins shouldn’t stick. Just make sure you cool the muffins completely!!!
And in case you are wondering if you can freeze the muffins, the answer is “yes”! For up to 2 months in an airtight container. To defrost just thaw the muffins on the counter.
How do you like your coffee? Do you drink coffee?
What is your “addiction”?
Do you have a favourite flour less muffin recipe? Quinoa muffin recipe?
Ingredients
- 2 cups coconut chia gel
- 1/2 cup almond milk, unsweetened (vanilla or plain)
- 1 cup pineapple juice, unsweetened
- 1/2 cup pineapple chunks or bits, drained
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 scoops (60 g) whey protein powder, naturally sweetened or unsweetened
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup coconut or oat flour
- 2 tsp baking powder, aluminum free
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl combine wet ingredients and mix.
- In another bowl combine dry ingredients and mix. Add to the bowl with wet ingredients and mix just enough to combine.
- Line 12 muffin baking pan with foil lined or regular muffin cups. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 - full with batter (muffins do not rise much), cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 mins. Remove foil and bake for another 15 mins. Cool completely before serving.
Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 12 muffins
Amount Per 1 muffin:
Calories: 144.3
Total Fat: 5.0 g
Cholesterol: 0.8 mg
Sodium: 112.8 mg
Total Carbs: 16.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.8 g
Sugars: 4.5 g
Protein: 8.1 g
WW Points+: 3