Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

There's not much I can say, it's a cold Friday morning. We've had snow...the snow is now melting...the sun is shining. And this weekend is supposed to reach 60! Finally, getting back to our regularly scheduled weather. Enough of these hurricanes and nor'easters. But what trumps the cold weather - today is Friday and that means the weekend is almost here - yay! Anyway, let's cut to the chase. Over the weekend I was thumbing through some cookbooks and came across a recipe for Lemon and Poppyseed Muffins. I thought to myself, oh yum these would be tasty and something out of the norm. Of course, I had to swap out some of the regular ingredients for lower cal versions.

Using buttermilk instead of regular milk helped keep these low cal muffins super moist. The hint of lemon and sweetness make them the perfect morning munchie or afternoon snack. And right out of the oven, the muffin tops are crisp and crunchy - the best part in my opinion. The biggest swaps - I traded white rice flour for oat flour and regular sugar for Truvia's Baking Blend.

They're not paleo though. If you want something paleo, try my Moist Paleo Pumpkin Muffins. They are good too.

Inspired by the cookbook Cook Yourself Thin: Skinny Meals You Can Make In Minutes

Slimmed Down Lemon and Poppyseed Muffins

Prep time 15 minutes - Bake time 30 minutes - Makes 12-15 muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups oat flour 1 1/2 cups almond flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1 tablespoon poppy seeds zest of 1 large lemon 2 cups peeled and finely grated zucchini 3 large eggs 1/2 cup of reduced fat buttermilk 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons stevia/sugar blend (I used Truvia baking blend) 2 teaspoons lemon extract

Directions:

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Then line a muffin tray with paper liners and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Combine the dry ingredients (flour, almonds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds) and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest and the zucchini.

Beat the eggs and sugar with a handheld or standing mixer for 3 minutes, until pale and creamy. Then add the zucchini, lemon zest, and lemon extract and beat again. Using a spatula beat in the dry ingredients until they are mixed in working quickly.

Spoon batter in to muffins tins and fill to the top so that they have a nice muffin top. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool, and serve.

Nutrition Facts Per ServingCalories 199, Calories from fat 87, Total Fat 9g, Sat. fat 1g, Trans fat 0g, Cholesterol 43mg, Sodium 211mg, Total Carbohydrate 19g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 2g, Protein 8g, Iron 1.8mg Source: Nutritiondata.com