Pineapple Citrus Muffins
Muffins, in general, are not a healthy choice for breakfast. They're usually loaded with saturated fat and sugar, making them extremely high in empty calories that are not beneficial to the body. These muffins, however, contain nothing but nutritious ingredients that are full of flavor. Enjoy a Pineapple Citrus Muffin for breakfast or a quick snack...guilt-free!
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup oat flour (see Recipe Notes)
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup diced pineapples
- ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- ¼ cup Date Honey
- ¼ cup flaxseed meal
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened coconut flakes
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly rub 8 cups of a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil, and set aside.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and stir well to combine. Scoop out mixture into muffin tin cups, allowing about 1/3 cup for each muffin. Bake 20 minutes, or until muffin tops are lightly browned. Serve warm.
- Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 muffin)
Notes
- Make your own oat flour by placing old-fashioned rolled oats in a food processor or blender and process until fine (½ cup old-fashioned oats will yield about ½ cup ground oats).
- Spread almond butter or Date Honey on top.
- Flaxseed meal is a powder made from ground flaxseeds. It can be found in health food stores and some grocery stores. Instead of buying flaxseed meal, you can also grind whole flaxseeds at home by using a coffee or seed grinder.
- The zest is the outermost, colorful skin of citrus fruits. Zest is often used to enhance flavor in recipes. The pith, or white membrane underneath the outside peel, has a bitter, unpleasant taste and should be avoided while zesting.
I didn’t allow myself noodles or bread but my friend did allow herself but I would like to know if you could have gluten?
Hi, Dena! On the Daniel Fast, whole grain products are allowed. However, they must not contain yeast or added sugar. So the only bread you can have is flatbread. Noodles must be whole grain pasta (package will say 100% or whole grain). Gluten is allowed. I hope this information helps answer your question.
Is there any substitute for the applesauce?
Hi, Cindy! I’ve never made these muffins without applesauce, so I’m not sure. The applesauce helps to keep the muffins moist, so it’s pretty important to include as an ingredient. It also adds a natural sweetness to the taste. I can’t really think of anything that would work as well without testing it first. I’m sorry!
And the date honey is AWESOME!!! Tastes like apple butter.
I’m so glad you liked it, Dale! Thanks for your comment.
Thanks, Kristen. I love baking and always like to try new things. Though my muffins were inedible, it was a great experience. My takeaways: 1. I made the muffins too big, they couldn’t rise any and were too heavy. 2. Make sure to remove the pits from your dates before process them. 3. Making my own flax meal and oat flour was cool. I like having multiple uses for things in pantry.
Hi, Dale! I can relate to your baking mistakes! I, too, have botched a recipe or two from time to time. 🙂 But, you’re exactly right. The process helps you learn. Thanks for taking time to comment. May the Lord bless you abundantly this year as you seek Him!
I too made these with coconut flour (without looking at the comments), and sadly, they don’t bind. Use the oat flour she suggested! Whoops!
Hi, Sherri! Yes, coconut flour is a great choice when baking, but it does respond differently than other flours. I’ve found that out the hard way myself, too! You’re not alone. 🙂
Learning moments in the kitchen still help us grow and increase in knowledge. Knowing what not to do is often as important as knowing what to do.
Can I freeze these muffins? Thanks!!
Yes, you can!
Is it okay to sub other fruits for pineapple? If so, are there any you would or would not recommend? Thank you!
Sure! You can substitute any fruit. In this recipe, you can use blueberries or chopped apples (whatever fruit you like).
Just made a batch with apples. Looking forward to trying them in the morning. Thank you!
Great! I hope you like them. 🙂
Kristen – I’m about to start a Daniel fast – my first. I’m a diabetic and counting carbohydrates is how I determine my medicine needs. Do you have any nutrition information for the recipes you share online?
Thanks!
Anita
Hi, Anita! I’m so glad you’re doing the Daniel Fast! Some of the newer recipes have nutritional information. I’m sorry they all don’t, but I didn’t think about that when I first started my blog. You could plug in the recipe information in an online tool, such as what myfitnesspal.com offers to determine nutritional content.
Thanks so much for your reply, Kristen! I’m nervous that I can’t do it. I’ve been a diabetic since I was a child (30+ yrs) and have struggled with my eating and weight always. Sugar-substitute-sweetened teas and soda have been staples and food has been my comfort. I have multiple health problems and still am fairly young. Since coming to salvation through Jesus Christ 2 & a half years ago I have hope for the first time in my life that I can be healed of my illnesses. I want to grow closer to God and learn to seek him for comfort. My prayers during this Daniel Fast include to be released from the bonds of food, doubt, & fear for me and others like me in similar struggles. Thank you for your faith. I greatly appreciate that your blog and site acknowledges God and are not only about the diet.
Anita
Can you substitute chia seeds for the flaxseeds in this recipe. Thanks! 🙂
Sure!
Hi,
I was just wondering the purpose of fennel meal, since this is an ingredient that I don’t normally use and I would have to purchase it specifically for this recipe. Is there a substitute for that? I do have some ground fennel. Thank you, God Bless
Hi, Arlene! I’m assuming you mean “flaxseed meal” rather than “fennel meal.” 🙂 Flaxseeds are high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as phytochemicals called lignans. But they’re difficult to digest, so I like to use flaxseed meal in my recipes (flaxseeds that have been ground into a fine powder). Flaxseed meal doesn’t have a taste, but it boots the nutritional content of recipes when it’s included. You can always substitute a whole grain flour for flaxseed meal in most of my recipes (or just leave it out all together).
I never heard of date honey, where do you fine it, and what is it like. You reply to someone that you could use whole wheat flour, I thought no type of bread was allowed in the daniel fast.
Date Honey is a recipe on my website. Click on this link to see it: http://www.ultimatedanielfast.com/happy-day-7/. It doesn’t contain any added sugar, only dates and water. It’s completely Daniel Fast friendly! Also, whole grain products are allowed; therefore, whole grain flours can be used. Unleavened bread is acceptable, too. For an explanation on this, see my FAQ page.
That spell check!! Thanks I did mean “ascorbic” acid!! And thanks for your quick response!!
Hi Kristen , thanks for your amazing book and so far (day 2) delicious recipes!! Bought several items on my grocery list and bought unsweetened applesauce, but it had ascorn if acid…as did tons of other items that I did not buy…are we allowed? Said on package vitamin c.
Your question is a good one. On the Daniel Fast you should avoid additives, chemicals, and preservatives as much as possible. However, there are some ingredients in canned foods that are considered “natural” preservatives. Examples are salt, lemon juice, and ascorbic acid, which is a form of vitamin C. So, yes, foods with ascorbic are allowed. However, keep in mind that fresh is always best. Frozen foods are next highest in nutrients, and then canned.
Can I add more applesauce and not put any date honey in?
Yes, you can, although the Date Honey adds a nice, sweet flavor. 🙂
Hiya, just made these but subbed the Oats with ground almonds and coconut flour ( as no oats ) and sadly they didnt work out!!
In fact the mixture before baking was more like a crumb kind of mix, can you advise as I felt they should have been able to bind some?
Made the date honey as per recipe and actually made applesauce by simmering baking apples til mushy….ummm
Coconut flour is a different texture and it responds differently than other flours to liquids. I haven’t made this recipe with coconut flour, but I think that might be why they didn’t come out right.
I tried to make the muffins but they did not rise. Do you know what I did wrong?
They won’t rise like regular muffins because no leavening agent is used. So you didn’t do anything wrong at all!
Thanks Kristen, I didn’t think they would rise completely. However the way I place them in the muffin pan is the way they came out. They seemed as if they were not all the way done. I will try again 🙂
I notice a few of your recipes use oat flour…is whole wheat flour a good substitute? Or would you recommend something else? If wheat flour is a substitute, are the measurements the same?
Thanks!
Yes, you can use whole wheat flour. Measurements should be the same.
Does the date honey go into the mixture or is it only used on top? Just wanting to clarify before I make them. Thank you>
It is mixed with the other ingredients. But, you can also add a little on top (we usually do!). 🙂 Hope you enjoy these muffins!
Kristen- is there any way you can provide the nutritional facts on these. I am food journaling and need it. Thanks! Love your site. Your recipes are wonderful.
Vicky, some of my more recent recipes do have nutrition facts. However, I didn’t think about adding that important information when I began this blog. I wish I had! I simply haven’t had time to go back and add the nutrition facts to the recipes (there are hundreds!). However, you can always calculate them on your own. I recommend My Fitness Pal. That’s what I use for my recipes. Thanks for your comments!
I have your book on my Kindle but I love this website to easily reference the recipes. Thanks!
Wonderful, Eva! So glad you are being doubly blessed! 🙂
Aren’t oats and rice a grain? Should we eat them on the Daniel Fast? I’ve never done this fast before and just want to make sure before I begin.
Hi, Barbara! The modern-day Daniel Fast is based upon Daniel’s fasting experiences, which involved denying himself certain foods while he sought the Lord in prayer. Scripture gives us some insight (such as in Dan. 10:3) into what he ate and didn’t eat; however, we don’t know specifics. The idea of a partial fast, such as the Daniel Fast, is to eliminate some foods while allowing others. Therefore, you will find some variation with food allowed on the fast. My Food Guidelines should help answer your food questions.
I see date honey as an ingredient in several of your recipes. I have not done the Daniel Fast in the past, but was under the impression that no type of sweeteners were allowed, even natural ones such as raw honey. Just wondering where the date honey falls into the plan. Thank you!
Hi, Jenna. I can see why you’d assume Date Honey has sugar; however, if you follow the link to my recipe, you’ll see it doesn’t. Date Honey is completely Daniel Fast friendly. It only TASTES like it has added sugar because it’s so sweet!
I am new to the Daniel Fast and to Date Honey. I was craving a sweet something yesterday and made this Date Honey. WOW Never have eaten a date on purpose before. I used it on the oatmeal bars in the breakfast recipe section. Almost tastes like apple butter, my husband said. Thanks for all your insight and recipes!! Keeps things from being monotonous.
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you’re being blessed by the recipes and devotions. 🙂 Thanks for your comment. May God bless you in BIG WAYS as you seek Him!
I’m working my way through your recipes. 🙂 I bought your book on Kindle, but since there are no pics, I have found the photos on this site really helpful! Just made these muffins. So weird to make things without a leavening agent. These are pretty tasty, though!
Thanks for purchasing my book on Kindle! I’m not sure why they didn’t include photos in the eBook versions. That’s the beautiful thing about the paperback, though. It contains many 4-color pictures! That’s one reason why people decide to get both. They like the idea of a paperback for the kitchen. 🙂 I’m glad you liked the muffins. Hope you find many more recipes you enjoy!
That’s actually on my to do list! Guess I need to get to work on that one. 🙂
could you share a blueberry muffin recipe?
just do the same recipe but substitute blueberries and forgo the pineapple.
Can I substitute cranberries for the pineapple or would I need more sweetener?
Mary, that’s a great question. I would like to use cranberries myself, but they are almost always sprinkled with sugar (read the label to be sure). If you can find cranberries without added sugar, you can use them. Otherwise, it’s raisins. 🙂