A flourless muffin made with healthy fat and flaxseed sweetened with jelly and apple butter. A deliciously creamy & giant muffin that will take you back to your childhood in a healthy way.
Happy Monday!
It really is a happy Monday when you don't have to work. Isn't it? Except for the fact that the Packers lost horribly yesterday I am happy happy today because it's a company holiday. I really wish every weekend were a 3-day weekend. 3 days is just the right amount of downtime. 2 is never enough. This holiday couldn't have fallen at a better time either with Mom visiting. Too bad my body couldn't quite figure that out and let me sleep in today. I was still awake at 4:30am. Mom was complaining the other day I wake up too early. I told her that's what us worker bees do and reminded her that's what she did when she worked. How quickly we forget when we retire... Getting up early today ended up working out in my favor because I wanted to swim before physical therapy this morning and I really needed both today too.
If you saw this, then you know I have a little something painful going on with my left elbow. You may have noticed the pink PT tape in my Instagram pics. When I saw the orthopedic last week for my ankle injury, I had the elbow examined as well. My elbow's been bothering me for well over a month and with my medical fiasco last month I just couldn't fathom the thought of seeing yet another doctor and you can imagine my reluctance too with having multiple mis-diagnoses last year. But the pain was so bad last week. In the mornings, I could barely move my arm or do basic things like pick up a water bottle, turn the steering wheel of my car, hold my phone, etc. So I had no choice and bit the bullet and told my orthopedic about it. According to the orthopedic, I have lateral epicondyle aka tennis elbow. Must be all those planks. Kidding! Although I swear to you planks are the only core work you ever need to do in life. You can crunch your little heart out all day long, but you'll crunch yourself to no where in a hurry and with no flat belly. But I digress...
Now your asking how I did hurt my elbow? I am forewarning you. This is not a sexy story. It's stupid, dumb and embarrassing. In December, I was carrying a case of water from the garage into my house. I have one of those heavy duty doors that leads from the garage into the kitchen. It closes fast and hard which is tricky when you have a lot of stuff. I have a terrible habit of using my elbow to prop the door open. So the day I was carrying the water I swung my elbow out to prop the door open and hit it in just the right spot. I felt a small bit of pain in my elbow. Then I went outside to get another case and did the EXACT SAME THING again. Immediately I felt a huge sting of pain. So not only did I hit it once, but twice. Ugh...
When my therapist worked on it for the first time last week, I was screaming like a baby and I'm a tough cookie. I seriously thought I was gonna pass out, throw up, fling my body to the ceiling, something. The pain was horrible, but after it felt so much better. My therapist said it can be very painful, but with my history of stress fractures I'm not holding my breath it's the right diagnosis. For the time, I get to wear a fashionable strap below my elbow to redirect the pressure and get to ice it all day long. But the good news is at least it's not my foot for once. I can deal with an arm injury better than a foot one. I think? Guess we'll find out.
So I'm looking forward to pain relief this holiday Monday. Truthfully I don't mind Mondays. I kinda look forward to them. My body gets off track on the weekends. I sleep in, eat at weird times and consume way too many muffins. Mondays are my reset day. Monday's are also my day to pass out muffins at the office and these giant muffins were quit the hit a few weeks back (they're quite large).They also blew up my Facebook and Instagram with readers asking for the recipe. I wasn't planning to post this one for awhile, but it's just too good not to share. It may be holiday Monday and I may have an injured elbow, but one thing's for sure. Muffins will be in the works today. Hope you love them as much as I do! Forgot to mention, I see the endocrinologist tomorrow. I really hope he has answers about my hormones. Have a great Monday!
- 1 cup unsalted almond butter (any nut butter will work)
- 2 very ripe bananas
- ½ cup unsweetened apple butter
- 1½ cups oats
- ½ cup honey
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ cup low sugar strawberry jelly fruit spread
- 4 tbsp flaxseed
- 1 tsp almond extract (can substitute vanilla)
- Preheat oven 350 degrees
- Prepare a muffin tin by spraying cavities with cooking spray
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor except jelly until well combined
- Fill each muffin cavity half way, add 1 tsp jelly, then cover with batter
- Bake 10-12 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted cleaned
- Allow muffins to cool 5 minutes in muffin tin before moving to a wire rack to cool
Miz Helen says
Hi Megan,
What a great Muffin, it looks awesome! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great week.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Megan says
Thank you!
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
Mmm these remind me of one of my favourite muffins by Amanda- Her flourless muffins are incredible, especially her almond butter and jelly ones!
Megan says
That's cool. I guess everyone likes to reimagine PB&J! Oh course you would love her "muffins" over mine. Lol...
cardiogirl82@saltandpepperthearth.com says
3 day weekends should be mandatory! I have never had an elbow injury, but I can certainly relate to the foot/ankle injuries that you have been dealing with. My bananas should be ripe enough for this recipe in another couple of days. They look delicious!
Megan says
Hope you give then a whirl!
Maria says
These look awesome and sound so tasty, and I love that they're flourless!
Megan says
Thank you, hope you give then a try!
Tamara @ A Side Of Dessert says
With a newly discovered wheat and yeast allergy I think I'll be whipping these up this week! Thanks!!
Megan says
Sorry to hear about your allergy. I hope you love the muffins!
Miss Polkadot says
Poor girl, non-stop injuries have to suck big time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed this one will heal sooner than the last.
We didn't have a three-day-weekend over here so I'm slightly jealous. Of the muffins, too. Hello, bakery-sited deliciousness.
Megan says
Thanks lady! Good thing I have baking therapy right?
Daisy @ Fit Wanderlust Runner says
Hope your elbow gets better soon. Sounds like just some rest and PT should fix it right? Also maybe no longer using your elbows as door stops. 🙂
Enjoy your three day weekend. Happy Monday!
Megan says
Or invest in elbow & knee pads...heehee!
Jill @ Champagne for Everyday says
Loving the addition of PBJ with these muffins!!! I make a similar muffin, but even with the addition of bluebs it tends to be dull and boring. Adding bananas would probably help too!
Happy Monday!
Megan says
I love bananas in muffins, obviously!
Elsie @ Sharing Healthiness says
Can I get a close up? Yes, please!!! 😉 Love it! I actually like Mondays, coming back to routine kind of energizes me and has become one of my most productive days. I broke my humerus once and it was a pretty bad injury but thankfully it is alright now and I can plank how much I want. Ha! xx
Megan says
Yeah for planking and closeups! Sometimes I like photographing it more than eating it.
Lauren @ The Bikini Experiment says
You have had a rough streak with being injured. I spent years not hurting myself at all, and then it was my shoulder, my ankle and a wip lash injury to my neck (twice) all within a few years. Keep resting and stay positive. 🙂 These muffins look delicious. PB&J is the way to everyone's heart.
Megan says
I know it's weird. I haven't been injured in 15 yrs. I guess this is payback.
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says
Sorry to hear about the elbow too! You sound just like me these days with one injury than another. How is the ankle? These muffins look amazing. I haven't used apple butter before. Thanks for linking up with us again today for MM> Have a great day!
Megan says
Thx Deborah, the ankle's doing well. I'm half days in the boot. Should be able to go full time by the end of the week. Crossing my fingers it tolerates it. Hope your foot is better!
lindsay Cotter says
you poor thing, you need a vacation from injuries! but i bet baking helps, like these! cure all muffins, right?
Megan says
I need a vacation from doctors no doubt and thank goodness for baking therapy.
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
Yum! These look so good!
Hope your elbow gets better soon. What a bummer.
Megan says
Thanks girl!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma says
I love the look of this. I bet my kids would love too! I have a whole recipe collection of muffins to try and I'm definitely adding this 🙂
Megan says
The kiddos would love it although after reading about them today I wonder which one would't? You'll have to let me know.
Tina Muir says
Nom nom nom! The queen of muffins does it again! PB AND J! WIN! Love that, and they have flaxseed, apple and bananas too! These are packed full of goodness!! Thanks for sharing, and YES every weekend should be a 3 day 😉
Megan says
Thanks friend!