Recipes: Reinvented
Jheel Popat
Nutritionist in Obesity and Weight Management
Learn how each ingredient in your food helps your body with our nutritionist. We’ve made recipes that use ingredients that work together to make you healthier. Our nutrition expert explains how to combine ingredients and food groups to ensure you stay healthy. You can try our recipes or use what you learn to empower your own cooking.
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These delicious blueberry, date, and bran muffins are packed with wholesome ingredients that make them a perfect grab-and-go breakfast dessert. They’re naturally sweetened and loaded with fibre, antioxidants, and healthy fats to help fuel your day.
How Does This Benefit YOU?
These muffins are not only enjoyable but are crafted to offer key health benefits. Here’s a closer look at how each ingredient supports your wellbeing:
Supports Digestive Health
The blend of bran, dates, and flaxseed brings a generous amount of dietary fibre. Fibre is essential for healthy digestion, as it supports regular bowel motions and helps balance gut bacteria. Fibre also slows sugar absorption, which can help maintain steady blood sugar levels and provide more sustained energy.
Naturally Sweet without Added Sugars
Sweetened with dates and bananas instead of refined sugar, these muffins offer a balanced, natural sweetness. This approach helps you enjoy a treat without the blood sugar spikes that come from pure unrefined sugars, making it a better option if you’re aiming to manage your blood sugar or reduce your intake of refined sugar. These still contain sugar however, so make sure to enjoy in moderation!
High in Antioxidants
Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, particularly vitamin C, which supports immunity and helps reduce inflammation. Antioxidants also protect your cells from daily wear and tear, promoting heart health, skin health, and overall resilience.
Heart-Healthy Ingredients
The fibre from bran and flaxseed can contribute to lowering cholesterol, while the potassium from bananas supports blood pressure. Flaxseed also provides omega-3 fatty acids, known for protecting heart health by reducing inflammation in blood vessels.
Provides Steady, Lasting Energy
Made with complex carbohydrates from bran, flour, and fruit, these muffins offer a gradual release of energy. This balance of carbs, fibre, and healthy fats helps you stay energised throughout the day, avoiding the quick energy highs and lows of refined sugars.
Supports Brain Health and Focus
Flaxseed’s omega-3 fatty acids are also beneficial for cognitive health, with links to improved focus and memory. Including these muffins in your routine supports both body and mind with wholesome, natural ingredients..
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Chopped pitted medjool dates: 1 cup (250 mL) – Naturally sweet and high in fibre, dates also provide a natural energy boost.
- Water: 1/2 cup (125 mL) – Used to soften the dates.
- Pure maple syrup: 3 tbsp (45 mL) – A natural sweetener that keeps these muffins low in added sugars.
- Very ripe banana: 1, peeled and mashed – Adds moisture and natural sweetness while providing potassium.
- Egg: 1 – Adds structure and protein to the muffins.
- Vanilla extract: 1 tsp (5 mL) – Adds a subtle flavour boost.
- All-purpose flour with added bran: 1 3/4 cups (425 mL) – Rich in fibre for a hearty texture.
- Ground flaxseed: 3 tbsp (45 mL) – Adds fibre and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Ground cinnamon: 1 tsp (5 mL) – Adds warmth and depth to the flavour.
- Baking powder: 1 tsp (5 mL) – Helps the muffins rise.
- Baking soda: 1/2 tsp (2 mL) – Works with baking powder to create a light, fluffy texture.
- Milk: 1/2 cup (125 mL) – Adds moisture and binds the ingredients together.
- Fresh or frozen blueberries: 1 cup (250 mL) – Full of antioxidants and adding a burst of flavour.
Instructions:
- Prepare the Date Mixture
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a saucepan, combine the dates and water, bringing it to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes until the dates are soft and broken down.
- Blend the Wet Ingredients
Transfer the date mixture to a food processor, add the maple syrup, and blend until smooth. In a bowl, stir in the mashed banana, egg, and vanilla extract.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground flax, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Combine & Add Blueberries
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, add the milk, and stir until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.
- Bake
Spoon the batter evenly into a greased or lined muffin tin (12 muffins). Bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Serve
Allow the muffins to cool slightly before enjoying. Store leftovers in an airtight container for a quick, healthy snack throughout the week.
Why I love this recipe:
I created this recipe with the goal of combining delicious flavour with essential nutrients. The natural sweetness from dates and ripe bananas means you can enjoy these muffins without needing extra sugar. The fibre from bran and flaxseed helps with digestion, and the blueberries are full of antioxidants that help protect your body from damage.Whether you’re prepping them ahead of a busy week or tweaking them to suit your preferences, these muffins will keep you fueled, satisfied, and on track with your nutrition goals.
Jheel’s Insider Tips:
- Customising: Try adding chopped walnuts or pecans for extra crunch, or swap the blueberries for other berries.
- Storage: These muffins freeze well for up to 6 weeks, making them a perfect make-ahead option.
- Texture Tip: For extra moisture, you can add an additional banana or a tablespoon of yoghurt to the batter.
Nutrition (per serving):
- Calories: 171
- Protein: 5g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Potassium: 257mg
- Total Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 16mg
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sugars: 15g
- Added Sugars: 3g
Allergen Information
- Contains: Eggs, Milk
- May Contain: Nuts (if using as a topping)
