I love rhubarb, which is why I love these gluten free chocolate rhubarb muffins. When I was young, I would cut it from the ground and immediately munch away on that tart, crunchy stem. I suppose my palate is slightly more refined these days – I don’t eat it raw anymore, but I also don’t eat 6 pickles at a time or whole lemons (wow, I really liked sour foods when I was little). Now I look for more interesting ways to use that bountiful stem, including this recipe for gluten-free muffins.
For those of you who are unaware, rhubarb is incredibly easy to grow. It’s one of those plants that you could grow successfully even with a brown thumb. And of course, there are health benefits to its consumption. Rhubarb is good for detoxifying the liver, improving circulation, fighting infections, and can help relieve constipation and other disorders associated with the colon. Rhubarb is also a good source of calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sulfur, zinc, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, C, and E. So, what are you waiting for? Eat some rhubarb!
I came up with the following recipe in order to do just that… eat some rhubarb. But I also used some other quality ingredients to help fuel the body and mind. First off, these are gluten-free. For some folks, eliminating gluten from their diet can be tremendously beneficial. For others, it never hurts to eat a little less wheat. There are a ton of gluten-free products out there, but I think it’s best to make your own when time allows. I’ve also added in some raw cacao (Mmm… chocolate) for lots of extra antioxidants and for that feel-good chemical, anandamide (among other amazing “happy” chemicals in cacao). There’s Maca – a mood boosting adaptogen superfood that definitely adds an extra bounce in your step, and lastly, coconut oil for great flavor and a healthy long-chain fatty acid.
These muffins are only mildly sweet. Yes, I used maple syrup, a natural sweetener, but that doesn’t change the fact that maple syrup is still sugar and sugar (even the natural kind) should be eaten in moderation. If you want a sweeter muffin, double the amount of maple syrup and reduce your water by a couple of tablespoons. However, try it as is and see if you can live without all of that extra sugar. Besides, these are a great low-sugar treat for kids (that is, if they can live without the extra sugar too). Let me know what you think!
- 1 cup gluten free
- 3 cups buckwheat groats
- 1 cup raw cacao
- 4 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 3 tbsp maca powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3 cups warm water
- 1/2 cup maple syrup (use 3/4 - 1 cup for a sweeter muffin)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups rhubarb, diced in 1/2" cubes
- 3/4 cup pumpkin seeds (or other seed/nut)
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine oats and buckwheat in a high powered blender such as a Blendtec and blend for approximately 30 - 60 seconds till a fine flour is created. You can also use a coffee/seed grinder to accomplish the same thing.
- Combine oat and buckwheat flour, raw cacao, flaxseed, maca powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt in a large bowl. Mix together till well-combined.
- Combine warm water (note: the water must be warm to prevent the coconut oil from solidifying in the water), maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Whisk till well-combined.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix together using a wooden spoon. This is a very thick batter and not super easy to work with, but press on, my friend... it's worth it.
- Stir in pumpkin seeds and rhubarb. Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop muffin batter into silicon baking cups (these are totally awesome if you haven't tried them).
- Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 25 - 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before enjoying.
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