I grew up with mulberry trees in our yard, and it was always a race to pick the juicy berries before the deer ate them. I now make excuses to play at our closest park and ironically come home with a Tupperware full of mulberries. Few people know about it, and many stop to ask what we are picking. I refer to them as the acai berry of the mid-west because of their mighty antioxidant power and super food status.
Although this recipe is truly a great one, getting your hands on mulberries can be a challenge, so simply replace the 2 cups of mulberries in this recipes with your favorite berry or fruit. Fresh mulberries are a rare find in a grocery store, but dried ones are more common. I haven’t made this recipe using dried mulberries, so I can’t speak to the outcome.
Mulberries aren’t as sweet as many other berries, but have an earthier, milder sweetness similar to a fig. They’re rich in anthocyanins, the phytochemical that gives them the deep purple color. The maple syrup in these muffins contribute just enough sweetness to compliment the tartness in the berries, and I find these to be a perfect “sweet enough” treat.
These muffins are gluten free, and use chickpea flour which is one of my favorite GF flours to use. It’s one of the most inexpensive GF flours on the market, and it’s also not as gritty as others.
Rustic Mulberry Muffins
Ingredients
Rustic Mulberry Muffins
- 3/4 cup brown rice flour
- 1 cup of chickpea flour
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups fresh mulberries, stems removed
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F and spray muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix together brown rice flour, chickpea flour, flaxseed, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
In a stand mixer bowl or blender, combine maple syrup, apple sauce, water, coconut oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix at low speed until incorporated. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and combine until well mixed. Add mulberries last and fold in. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins 3/4 full and put muffin tray into oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Let cool for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Photos and Content Copyright © Jaclyn Beaty Nutrition, 2019
Jaclyn Beaty Nutrition 