Gluten-free Banana Oatmeal Muffins, aka the nursing muffin

I love some kind of texture in a muffin. Nuts are usually my go-to but because I like to multi-task, I simultaneously wanted to create a muffin that Tommy can bring as a snack for school so it needs to be nut-free. My other goal was to use as little sugar as possible. The initial version of this recipe had 1 cup of coconut sugar, bringing the sugar grams to almost 10 per muffin. Though I prefer coconut sugar to almost any other sugar for its low fructose level and the fact that it’s even suitable for most diabetics, it’s still sugar and I prefer to keep any added sugar intake for Tommy and his toddler friends to an absolute minimum. I also bake with gluten free flours most often so I wanted to use them as well to make a super healthy muffin.

So on went the thinking cap.

For the sugars, I added an additional banana and used applesauce for the remaining sugar calories. I make homemade apple sauce quite often that’s made with just apples and cinnamon, but bottled applesauce would work just fine here. Just be sure to purchase organic with no added sugar since it’s the added sugar we’re trying to replace.

For the flours, I used my faithful combination of coconut, almond, and buckwheat. I love this combo for most baked goods so it’s totally worth the purchase. If you like, you can sub out any of those for whole wheat flour.

Steel Cut Oats

Whenever I make oatmeal I love to set some aside in the fridge and make this recipe.

There’s something about the texture that cooked steel cut oats brings that’s so much different from the raw rolled oats. Nutritionally, they’re a bit lower on the glycemic index and are much less processed so that’s a plus.

I still use rolled oats a lot and you can certainly use them for this recipe, but if you really want that nutty texture without using nuts, try this.

…..Also great for Milk Production

Lactation muffin, you say? Why not?

Iron
Oatmeal contains natural iron, which is excellent for the 4th trimester, and many post-partum women can become anemic which many believe can cause a decline in milk production. (I also took a natural iron supplement during and after pregnancy to help accelerate the process even more. There's actually oat flour in it as well as Vitamin C to help absorb the iron.)

Healthy Fats
I also opted for full-fat sour cream, and flaxseeds which provide a hefty dose of fat, another vital nutrient many people, (pregnant or not) surprisingly don’t get enough of.

Immersion blenders are great for things like mashing bananas. Great kitchen time saving trick!

Gluten-Free Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Dry Bowl
1 cup buckwheat flour
½ cup almond flour
½ cup coconut flour
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp sea salt
1 -2 Tbsp flaxseeds (optional)

Wet Bowl
½ cup softened butter (preferably grass-fed)
1 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs lightly beaten
4 medium very ripe bananas mashed well
½ cup full fat organic sour cream
1 cup cooked steel cut oats

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, sift together the buckwheat flour, almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt and set aside

In large mixing bowl (or stand up mixer) Cream the butter with the sugar 1 minute or so. Add the eggs, vanilla, apple sauce, sour cream, banana and oats. Mix well. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet stirring just until combined.

Nursing mamas swear by oatmeal during the 4th trimester to boost milk supply. That along with healthy fats and low sugar make for the perfect muffin.

Line 2 muffin tins with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

Using a Tablespoon or mini scooper, fill cups about 3/4 full. Bake about 15 minutes or until tooth-pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 2 dozen.

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Gluten-Free Banana Oatmeal Muffins: aka the Nursing Muffin