
Do you think “healthy” when you hear the word “muffin”? If not, you can now. These Gluten-Free Muffins are wholesome, yet sweet enough to taste like a treat.
A “Real Food” diet is gaining more ground every day. Ironically enough, some of us become a little more relaxed with our fueling decisions for our athletic lifestyles. I used to be one of those people. I was quick to grab chews, gels, bars, waffles, or some of the other popular sources that are always around . My decisions were based on what my stomach and taste buds could handle.
The more I raced and the more synthetic fueling sources I consumed, the more cognitive dissonance I felt about my running fuel. I started to read about elite endurance athletes who fuel with real food, and some even on a 100% plant-based diet. It’s simply making the commitment, planning, and sticking with it. This doesn’t mean we have to make our own fuel; it means we must read the ingredients.
In Our Kitchen
- ALMOND FLOUR. Feel free to make your own with raw almonds.
- GLUTEN-FREE OATS. Oats are naturally gluten-free; however, cross-contamination can cause issues for those with allergies. Therefore, you want “gluten-free.”
- EGGS. Always use organic, pastured, or farmed raised eggs. If you want vegan muffins, replace egg with flax eggs.
- ZUCCHINI. 1 cup equals a small to medium size zucchini. You can grate with a handheld grater or use a blender or food processor, just be sure not to over process. I suggest measuring your zucchini and carrots.
- CARROTS. 1 cup of grated carrots equals about two carrots or 14-16 baby carrots, which we use because we give them to our fur babies as treats.
- WALNUTS. You can buy chopped or throw them in the food processor. Let the food processor be your friend! 😉
- CRANBERRIES, CHERRIES, or DATES are optional. If you want your muffins a little sweeter, toss them in.
- APPLESAUCE. The applesauce is replacing butter.
- PURE MAPLE SYRUP. Maple is a natural sweetener and is great to use in place of refined sugar or artificial sweeteners.
- PURE VANILLA EXTRACT. “Pure” is the key word here.
- OIL MUFFIN PAN. We never use paper liners, so we always oil the tins with avocado or coconut oil.
- WET INGREDIENTS. I recommend measuring wet ingredients (accurately) to prevent batter from being too thin or watery.

These Gluten-Free Muffins are:
- Real Food
- Gluten-Free
- Dairy Free
- Vegetarian
- Vegan (with substitution)
Kitchen Gadgets
- Large food processor
- Spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 2 medium-size mixing bowls
- Mini-muffin pans (makes 48)
The recipe…
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Gluten-Free Muffins
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 35 Minutes
- Yield: 48 mini muffins 1x
Description
These gluten-free muffins are a tasty and nutritious snack or a great fueling source for those athletes out there.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of almond flour
- 1 cup gluten-free oats
- 3 eggs (organic or pastured)
- 1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 zucchini)
- 1 cup grated carrots (about 14–16 baby carrots)
- 1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, cherries, or dates (chopped)
- 3 Tablespoons applesauce
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Oil mini-muffin pan with avocado or coconut oil
- Process dates, walnuts, and carrots in a food processor, then transfer to mixing bowl
- Add the other wet ingredients to the date and carrot mixture: eggs, zucchini, applesauce, maple, and vanilla
- Mix all dry ingredients together in another mixing bowl: almond flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda
- Combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients and mix until blended, the batter should be thick
- Divide mixture evenly among mini-muffin cups, filling them to the brim
- Bake 15-25 minutes, or until the tops of muffins begin to brown or use a toothpick to check (insert into center and it should come out clean). Large muffins will need to bake longer, 25-35 minutes
- Serve warm, room temperature, or cold
- Category: Fueling Options
- Cuisine: American (Real Food, Gluten-Free, Dairy Free, Vegetarian, Vegan)
Keywords: gluten free muffins

Recipe inspired from Superhero Muffins in Run Fast. Eat Slow. By Shalane Flanagan & Elyse Kopecky.