You can never have enough healthy, not to mention delicious, muffin recipes under your belt. This recipe is one of our favorites, and for good reason. Not only is it tasty, but it’s also packed full of health benefits from the different ingredients – including our favorite, the sweet potato.
While you can substitute pumpkin in this recipe, why would you? Sweet potato gives these muffins a deliciously sweet, earthy flavor that works perfectly with the sweet maple syrup. Not to mention the amazing health benefits that sweet potato has to offer.
Why You Should Eat More Sweet Potato
These delicious muffins not only taste great, but they are also full of antioxidants and help reduce inflammation. (1)
The flesh of sweet potatoes contains high levels of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that works to fight dangerous free radicals in your body. These free radicals can affect the DNA makeup of your cells, which can lead to mutations in the cells. This cell mutation is what leads inevitably to cancers of various kinds. (2)
Purple sweet potatoes are also full of the anti-inflammatory nutrient anthocyanin which is what gives the sweet potato it’s vibrant color. (1, 2) The best part? Animal studies show they may even help improve memory and learning. While there are no human studies to this effect, in general, eating enough fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of mental decline and dementia. (2)
We love these sweet potato muffins and look for any reason to bake them and we’re sure you will too!
Sweet Potatoes Could Assist in Weight Loss
True to their name, sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, which means that you won’t need to add refined sugars in order to satisfy your sweet tooth. Using them in your meals allows you to have a lower-calorie treat that also tastes great, so it’s always a win-win situation for you. (3)
Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, especially if they still have the skin on. Fiber is a foolproof way to control hunger, by helping you to feel fuller longer, so you can feel satisfied in your dietary choice knowing that you’ve received the nutrients that you need to be happy and healthy. (3)
However, they have a medium to high glycemic index rating (ranging from 44–96), which means large portions in a single meal may not be suitable for those with certain health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes. (1)
With all of these health benefits, how can you resist running to the kitchen to start baking?
Sweet Potato Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 small organic sweet potato, roasted (1 cup, packed)
- 3 organic free-range eggs, lightly beaten
- ¾ cup of organic canned coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons of organic olive oil
- ½ cup of pure organic maple syrup
- 1 cup of organic brown rice flour
- ¼ cup of organic coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
- 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 400 and lightly oil a 12-hole muffin tray.
- When the oven reaches the right temperature, poke holes in your sweet potato and place it on the middle rack of the oven to cook for about 60 minutes, or until it is very soft. Once it’s cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool.
- Once the sweet potato is cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh from the skin and place the pulp in a mixing bowl. You can discard the skin, or eat it as a quick snack. The skin is actually packed with a lot of the same vitamins as the rest of the sweet potato.
- Add the eggs, olive oil, coconut milk, and maple syrup to the sweet potato and mix until it creates a smooth mixture. In a separate bowl, mix your dry ingredients together until well combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the rest of the sweet potato and combine until everything is uniform.
- Pour the batter into the muffin pan, filling the spaces until ¾ of the way full. Place them on the middle rack and cook for 30-35 minutes, or until a knife is inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
