Lately, a trip to the supermarket comes with a little bonus: the prettiest strawberries of the season are finally on the shelves.
Every year here in Israel, after Purim (the Jewish holiday celebrated with costumes) and just before Passover, the shelves fill with gorgeous, firm, flavorful strawberries. This is peak strawberry season—and yes, it's ridiculously short.
I love strawberries, which are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, like other berries. I'll throw them into smoothies and salads, eat them straight as a snack, or bake them into vegan muffins with whole-grain spelt flour, like these.
These vegan muffins are a great breakfast option: their low glycemic index helps keep you feeling full longer and provides steady energy for the day ahead.
You can swap the strawberries for another fresh fruit you love, such as apricots, bananas, or apples.
If you can't find unsweetened soy yogurt, you can make your own with the recipe I shared here previously.
Join the "Vegans Building Muscle" (my Israeli fitness community) group on Facebook.
Nutrition per muffin, without (!) the white chocolate topping
135 calories, 6 g protein, 6 g fat, 4.5 g fiber, 84 mg calcium, 42 mg vitamin C, 2 mg iron.
Add 1 tablespoon of white chocolate topping: 35 calories.
Nutrition analysis (and taste-testing) by nutritionist and fitness instructor Noam Behar (an Israeli nutrition and fitness professional).
For more wonderfully sweet recipes
Vegan Strawberry Muffins With Whole-Grain Spelt
Ingredients
For the Batter
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups oats quick-cooking, thin flakes
- 3 cups whole-grain spelt flour or whole-wheat flour
- 1 packet baking powder 10 g (about 2 1/2 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 100 g (3.5 oz) margarine trans-fat-free, at room temperature; or 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup fresh strawberries diced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup soy milk unsweetened
- 300 g (10.6 oz) soy yogurt unsweetened
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Topping
- 1/2 cup dairy-free white chocolate
- 5 strawberries
Instructions
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Start with the batter.
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In a bowl, thoroughly mix all the dry ingredients: flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.
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In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredients well: soy milk, margarine, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and yogurt. Leave the strawberries aside for now. (And no snacking on them!)
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Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until everything is moistened and you have a thick, sticky, evenly mixed batter. Fold in the strawberries until they're distributed throughout.
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Set aside for about 30 minutes to let all those flavors settle into the batter.
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Divide the batter among the cups of a muffin pan.
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Bake at 170°C (340°F) for about 15 minutes, then let cool.
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Make the topping.
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Puree the strawberries thoroughly in a food processor.
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Melt the white chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler over hot water.
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Add 1 tablespoon of the strawberry puree to the warm chocolate and stir well.
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Add another tablespoon and keep stirring vigorously until the strawberries are fully incorporated and the chocolate is smooth, evenly pink, and lump-free. You can play with the color by adding another tablespoon of strawberry puree. Make sure the chocolate stays warm.
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Spoon 1 tablespoon of topping over each muffin and let cool.
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Finish with a little confectioners' sugar and strawberries for garnish.
A Few Notes From Me
I used 2 tablespoons of sugar for the entire recipe. You can also use sucralose or another sweetener you like.
If you prefer sweeter muffins, add more sugar. Just remember that each tablespoon of sugar adds 50 calories.
Feel free to swap the strawberries for any fruit you love, such as mango, apples, pears, or berries.
