Powerfood salads and the best way to eat them

 

I know what you're thinking: there's some "best" way to eat a salad? The answer is YES. First of all, let's talk about powerfoods. 

What are powerfoods?

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

I'm going to mention them regularly because they tend to be plants and a tummy full of plants is a happy tummy. And any ZOE member is challenged to hit a plant goal every day! Why? First, plants are your best go-to for fiber and fiber promotes a healthy gut microbiome. It promotes regular bowel movements too, obvi, but the contribution it makes to boosting the good bugs in your gut is relatively new news. And it's all about the power of phytochemicals. If you want all the science, go here, or pick up Fiber Fueled, or listen to this edition of the ZOE Science and Nutrition podcast. 

The other amazing thing that makes plants so powerful? They provide an extraordinary nutritional bang per ounce. And the less time that passes between picking them and eating them, the more power they can share. This means you should think seriously about growing a few of your own edible leaves, sprouts, or microgreens. And when you shop at the farmer's market, plan on eating lots of that produce the same day you buy it! Your body will thank you.

What's makes this salad powerful? 

When we think about superfoods, things like broccoli and blueberries come to mind, not salad greens. But I'm here to tell you, EAT YOUR LEAVES. As I go through what makes such "basic" salad ingredients so special, I'm leaning on two books: Life Changing Foods and Power Foods. 

Let's start with all the different leaves: spring mix and arugula (from the grocery store), a few kale leaves from my hydroponic garden (see below), and a handful of microgreens. These are often thought of as nothing more than the boring base of a salad, but they're actually vegetable royalty! Leafy greens are practically predigested so they don't require much from your digestive system and they immediately get to work scrubbing and massaging your stomach lining, small intestine and colon, loosening old trapped yeast, mold, and other types of fungus and pockets of waste matter. If eating lettuce upsets you, start with small quantities of butter leaf or red leaf lettuce until you build up a tolerance. Leafy greens also help create a more alkaline stomach composition and general alkalinity in other body systems, especially the lymphatic system. This matters because the lymphatic system can become the most acidic of all thanks to the barrage of chemicals, acids, plastics, pesticides, and pathogens constantly entering it. Leafy greens help drain the lymphatic system of these toxins. 

They hold vital mineral salts and trace amounts of bioavailable iodine, chromium, sulfur, magnesium, calcium, chromium, sulfur, manganese, and molybdenum, which are critical for neurotransmitter and neuron support. Leafy greens are high in enzymes too as well as vitamin A, B, healing alkaloids, and forms of chlorophyll and carotenes. This unique group of nutrients works together to feed all organs and body systems. Oh, and believe it or not: Leafy greens contain the most bioavailable and assimilable proteins you can find. So the next time you find yourself picking all the "good" stuff out of a salad and leaving the boring leaves, remember what you just read! Your body will thank you for eating your greens. 

A separate note on microgreens: what's the point? Well, take everything said above about grown-up greens and multiply it for these babies. They pack even more of a phytochemical punch than the veggies they'll become (hello broccoli greens) but require a fraction of the processing to assimilate their powers. Oh, and they're easy to grow at home so you can cut them and eat them immediately. 

Green onions: Any kind of onion (leeks, chives, scallions, red onions, shallots etc) is a natural antibacterial. To really benefit from onion's qualities, we need to eat them more often! Some people feel uncomfortable after eating onions but, contrary to popular belief, they are not irritants. An upset tummy from onions is an indication that you likely have an elevated level of unproductive bacteria in your gut. Onions work to eliminate that bacteria and the resulting die-off can result in temporary discomfort. Onions are one of the most accomplished foods on the planet for keeping down bacterial overgrowth in the body. Onions are also high in trace minerals zinc, manganese, iodine, and selenium so they can help rejuvenate the skin and protect your lungs (helpful for addressing colds and flus). They're also the ultimate anti-inflammatories for the bowels.  

Avocados: Avos have been called "the mother fruit" and "the soul of all other foods" because an avo is the closest food on the planet to breast milk. Maybe that's why babies love them when they're offered them as early solids? Avocado is at the top of my gut-boosting food list from ZOE. Why? It contains phytochemicals called isothiocaynates - they're responsible for the color of the yellow-green flesh and help restore stomach and intestinal linings. Avocados are amazing for your brain too! A healthy source of omega-6 fatty acids, they can help restore the central nervous system and ward off dementia. They also have an anti-aging effect on your skin, reducing dryness and contributing to the disappearance of dark under-eye circles.

Pepitas / pumpkin seeds: Just a handful of these seeds offers a concentrated source of protein and energy-producing magnesium, along with generous amounts of immunity-boosting zinc. Abundant in phytosterols, which help lower cholesterol, pumpkin seeds also provide lots of fiber when eaten in their shells. So next Halloween, keep all those seeds you scoop out and roast them with salt and garlic powder. 

So much for a "simple" salad eh?

So, what if you don't have the space to grow greens? Well, I live in an apartment with no deck or outdoor space. So I have a countertop Aerogarden. It was given to me as a Xmas gift a couple of years ago and I was skeptical. But I've now experimented a bit with the mix of things I like to have in there and I'm impressed by the kale and lettuce varieties. This winter I let thyme, sage and Thai basil go a little nuts but having them around felt therapeutic during Chicago's bleak grey days.  

A hydroponic garden this size does not produce fast enough to provide you with a full salad every day. But it can provide you with a few leaves to supplement your salads, and those leave were living just minutes before arriving in your tummy so they're powerful.   

What's the best way to eat salad?


I'm a huge fan of The Glucose Goddess and one of her key hacks for preventing big glucose spikes is "add a green starter to all your meals". Why? Because eating fiber before you eat anything else slows everything else down, especially glucose. 

Your green starter doesn't have to be salad, but salad is great because (a) it's SO nutritious and (b) adding a sprinkle of vinegar to a salad is a pretty normal way to use and eat vinegar. Why does this matter? Because ingesting vinegar before a meal will also help you keep your glucose spikes to a minimum. Why does this matter? That's for another day and another post. Last best thing to do? Use pink Himalayan salt instead of sea salt.

Why pink Himalayan salt? First, it's an ancient salt that's been compressed over millions of years and is believed to be one of the purest forms of salt for that reason. Second, unlike refined table salt that's been stripped of its mineral content, pink Himalayan salt contains all 84 essential trace elements required by your body.

So my point today is that there IS a best way to eat a salad: eat it first, dress it in vinegar, good olive oil and pink Himalayan salt, and appreciate what a service it's doing for your body. And then eat whatever else you like to feel full! A salad does not have to be the only thing you eat... just make it the first thing at one meal a day. As often as possible. 



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Butternut and chickpea salad with tahini sauce

I love butternut, but my blood-sugar control isn't good so I have to be thoughtful about how I eat it. That's why I LOVE this salad. It's great warm or cold, and satisfyingly dense the way potato salad is. So think of this as a great alternative to potato salad that won't spike your glucose. 

Before we get into the recipe, here are some fun facts about butternut and sweet potato and why butternut is better. Screenshots are from the ZOE personalized nutrition app - learn more about ZOE here.
Both butternut and sweet potato by themselves spike my blood sugar. But look at the difference in glycemic index, sugar, and fiber. Butternut is the way to go for me, which is reflected in the higher Zoe score.
Another fun fact: there's ONE ingredient in this salad that magically flattens the blood glucose spike I'd otherwise get from butternut: 
TAHINI! The goal with ZOE is to eat meals that score 75+ and at least five different plants every day. Here's how this salad scores in ZOE: 

Let's get into the making of it. You're going to start by roasting butternut. I don't know why, but I find that when butternut is served in restaurants in the US, it's always undercooked. Roasted butternut pieces should have the same consistency as roasted sweet potato pieces: firm enough to keep their shape, but soft inside. 

Cover a large baking sheet with silicone cookie sheets or aluminum foil and pour a generous amount of olive oil onto the sheet. Scatter the butternut pieces across the sheet and get them evenly spaced.
Spray with olive oil and then sprinkle with the seasoning of your choice and dab small amounts of garlic on some of the pieces. 
Once the butternut is done, let it cool. Or, if you plan to serve the salad as a warm dish instead, make sure everything else is ready so that you can mix it all together as soon as the butternut comes out of the oven,
While the butternut cooks, prep the tahini sauce. If you haven't worked with tahini before, be prepared for a chemical event! When the tahini hits the lemon juice, it looks like an oil and water situation. 
You have a spoonful a thick beige paste sitting in lemon juice and it's not super appealing. But as they combine, they become a smooth, white liquid easily diluted further by adding water (and olive oil to taste). 


Here's the tahini and lemon chemistry in motion! 
And the lovely final product.
Next, prep the red onion and cilantro. I love these flavors and tend to go heavy on the cilantro. If you aren't a fan, try using parsley instead or just leave this out. 
To assemble the salad, combine the squash, chickpeas, onion, and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add the tahini sauce and toss carefully. Alternatively, you can serve the salad undressed with the sauce on the side so that each person can use as much or as little as they like.  
This salad, lightly dressed, keeps beautifully in the fridge. Before serving, give it a little jolt in the microwave to take the chill off and make sure you have extra tahini sauce.  
It's a meal on its own but I generally don't eat it that way. Like I've said, it's dense and satisfying the way potato salad is, so I generally eat it as a side along with a green salad and/or fish, with lots of extra tahini sauce on it!

HOW TO MAKE BUTTERNUT AND CHICKPEA SALAD

SERVINGS: 4

INGREDIENTS

For the salad:

  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 lbs), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 medium garlic clove, pressed  
  • 1/2 tsp of ground allspice (or whatever spices you like on roasted butternut)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt
  • 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 of a medium red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup of coarsely chopped cilantro leaves

For the tahini sauce:

  • 1 medium garlic clove, finely minced with a pinch of salt
  • 3 1/2  Tbsp of lemon juice
  • 3 Tbsp of well-stirred tahini
  • 2 Tbsp of water
  • 2 Tbsp of olive oil (or more, to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS


- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (about 220 C)
- Cover a large baking sheet with silicone cookie sheets or aluminum foil and pour a generous amount of olive oil onto the sheet. Scatter the butternut pieces across the sheet and get them evenly spaced. Spray with olive oil and then sprinkle with the seasoning of your choice and dab small amounts of garlic on some of the pieces. 
- You can also toss everything in a bowl together before you scatter it all onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 mins or until soft. Butternut should be treated just like sweet potato - it should be firm-ish but still soft in the middle, otherwise it's undercooked. Remove from the oven and cool.
- To make tahini sauce: in a small jug or bowl, whisk together the garlic and lemon juice. Add the tahini and whisk to blend (it'll go from gloppy beige to smooth white). Add the water and olive oil and keep whisking. Add seasoning to taste. The sauce should have plenty of tahini flavor but also a kick of lemon. If it's too bitter or the lemon is too strong, add olive oil. 
- To assemble the salad, combine the squash, chickpeas, onion, and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add the tahini sauce and toss carefully. Alternatively, you can serve the salad undressed with the sauce on the side so that each person can use as much or as little as they like. 
- NOTE: This salad, lightly dressed, keeps beautifully in the fridge. Before serving, give it a little jolt in the microwave to take the chill off and make sure you have extra tahini sauce.  






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Nutty seed bread (grain free)


I have poor blood-sugar control so I was not surprised to see that almost all grains score very low for me in the ZOE app. This means that in anything other than very small quantities, they cause big glucose spikes, which we all need to avoid really. A lot of grains (especially highly processed and refined versions) also suppress the growth of the good bugs that we need for a healthy gut microbiome. 
I've lived pretty-much grain free for a long time now because they just make me feel bad, so I've done my share of experimenting with grain-free bread recipes. This recipe is my winner and ZOE agrees (see the score of 98 below). It's packed full of almond and coconut flour, and lots of seeds (including pumpkin, flax, sesame, and chia). It's not a "light" bread, so it's really satisfying. It freezes and toasts beautifully, and thanks to the sesame seeds, it smells heavenly when it's baking and if it smells like bread... well, it's bread! Oh, and it's gluten-free, vegan, and keto approved if those things matter to you. 


So let's get to the making of it!


Step 1: Grind up your shelled pumpkin seeds into a course meal. I'm showing you a picture of what I use because to get a course meal, you need to be using shelled seeds, usually called "pepitas" in the US. They are nutritional superheroes so it's worth the step of getting them into this bread: they're rich in protein, fibre, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron. And studies show that they may support blood-sugar balance, improve cholesterol levels in postmenopausal women, help regulate blood pressure, and benefit bladder health.  
This is what a cup of ground pepitas should look like. You want some course bits in there because they add to the bite of the bread. 
A note on psyllium husk: many recipes for this kind of bread depend on a LOT of psyllium, which can result in a lot of time on the loo for some people. For others, like me, it simply creates enough tummy discomfort that I don't love it. For this recipe, you'll see that I advise you to play with ratios of ground flax to psyllium. They both serve the purpose of quickly absorbing the warm water and binding the bread dough. So you're aiming for 1/3 of a cup of psyllium and flax combined. I bet using only ground flax would work just fine too. 
All the ingredients together are really pretty! And yes, that's pink Himalayan rock salt in there because it's another one of those small but mighty changes we can all make to our diets. In this case, we're exchanging the micro-plastics now found too often in commercial sea salt for the thousands of beneficial minerals found in rock and desert salt. 
Once you've added the liquid ingredients, it'll look loose like this. Just give it a couple of mins and then go in with your hands. 
The warm water quickly activates the flours (and flax and psyllium) and you should be able to gently pull the dough into a ball like this. It does NOT NEED TO BE KNEADED.
Then you pop it into a paper-lined pan and decide how to shape it. If you want a loaf that's rounded, then form that shape in the bowl before popping it into the pan. I like to spread it out in the pan and so I end up with slices that are even and rectangular (easier to store in the freezer). 
After approx. 50 mins, your loaf will be golden like this. And yes, I'm lazy and buy loaf-tin liners versus measuring out pieces of parchment paper every time.
You need to let the loaf rest for a few hours before you cut it. But if you can't resist lopping off an end slice to eat hot, I won't tell anyone.
Finally, here's my storage tip: I'm the only one eating this bread and I need it to last. So once it's cool, I slice it up and lay the pieces out on a cutting board. Then I freeze them like this. Once they're frozen, I pack them all into a container or bag and it stores easily in the freezer for weeks. I pop a frozen slice straight into the toaster on it's maximum setting (7 mins) and that's usually enough to get it from frozen to toasted. 

How to eat this?? Any way you like! But I love to use it for Avocado Toast because it works beautifully with creamy avo. It's also delicious with almond butter and/or Choc Zero raspberry or strawberry jam. 

HOW TO MAKE NUTTY SEED BREAD


PREP TIME: 15 mins
COOK TIME: 50 mins
SERVINGS: about 16 slices

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup of almond flour
  • 1 cup of lightly ground pumpkin seeds (must be shelled seeds - see above for how to make this)
  • 1/2 cup of coconut flour
  • 1/3 cup mix of psyllium husk and ground flax (depending on your tolerance for psyllium)
  • 1/4 cup of chia seeds
  • 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil (or olive or almond)
  • 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  • 2 cups of warm water (40C/105F) - think hot bath temp which is what comes out of most hot-water taps 

STEP BY STEP


- Preheat the oven to 400F/200C and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Lightly oil the paper and set aside.

- Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl - you may need to work some lumps out of the almond flour. 

- Stir in the liquid ingredients, making sure the water is warm otherwise the flours won't activate as well or as fast. 

- Stir with a spatula or a fork first until the ingredients are well combined and let it sit for just a couple of mins. Then you should be able to use your hands to pull the dough into a ball (see the pictures above). It it's too sticky to do this, give it another few minutes and the consider sprinkling in a little more ground flax. 

- Once you're able to form the dough into a clean-ish ball (or cylinder) you can drop it into the lined loaf tin. Whatever shape it has going into the oven is the shape it will keep - it doesn't rise or expand. So you decide what works for you. I generally flatten is down so I end up with pretty even rectangular slices. It doesn't look as pretty, but it's practical! 
- Bake for 50 minutes then insert a skewer in the middle of the bread. If it doesn't come out clean, bake for another 10 mins then check again. And if it looks like it might burn on top during these extra mins, pop a piece of foil over the top.
- Cool on a rack for at least a couple of hours before slicing, although if you slice off one end to eat warm, I won't tell anyone. 
- Store for up to a week in a pantry, wrapped in a kitchen towel. Or slice the whole loaf and freeze the slices so they're ready to toast (see the picture in the blog post). The max time on my toaster is 7 mins and that's what it takes to defrost the slice and also toast it a little. 

Adapted from a recipe by Sweet as Honey 



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How to avocado toast... so many ways

 

I think the cliche is to blame Millennials for making avocado toast trendy. But I grew up in South Africa is the 70s/80s and "avo on toast" was a regular weekend lunch (along with baked beans on toast). So if Millennials are to blame for making this delicious meal easily available in restaurants, hats off to them. 

This humble meal packs a nutrient punch and avocado is one of ZOE's recommended gut-healing foods. So I eat it often and so should you! Here are some ideas for mixing things up - variety matters. What's ZOE? Learn more here.

First, I generally use the grain-free, nut and seed bread that I make myself. But in a pinch, I like this imported bread by Delba and it gets top marks from ZOE: 


Since this combination gets such a high score, it's a great meal to play with a little. What do I mean? Well, if you're craving something crunchy (see my post on incorporating packaged snacks) add a small portion. They hardly skew the score: 


It's one of the great things about eating this way - you quickly start to see the power of combining foods the right now. Eating a bag of parmesan chips would be hard on your body and I don't recommend that. Adding a handful to this meal though? It satisfies your need to eat these kinds of snacks and keeps the experience from feeling like a "diet" of some sort. It's not. 

I LOVE adding green onions too, because they're so good for you. And let's face it: anything that's used as an ingredient in Guacamole is a no-brainer addition to your avocado toast.

Add grilled or fried mushroom and BOOM - this is such a yummy, filling meal that is now restaurant quality. Oh, and ZOE agrees: 




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Incorporating pre-packaged snacks on ZOE

The ZOE personalized nutrition program scores hundreds of thousands of products (you can scan barcodes with the app). If you have poor glucose and fat control, you're not going to find many high-scoring pre-prepackaged snacks because, well, they tend to represent all the things we don't want to eat: they're extremely processed, often high in sugar and/or the hydrogenated fats, and very salty. And one of things ZOE emphasizes is that you eat a diversity of gut-healing plants. You even get a plant score every day!
That said, you won't eat this way for very long if you feel deprived. So, when I do find snack-like things that feel like a treat and add some crunch, I keep a record! I'm sharing my finds here so that you know they exist. (Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.)

First, Choc Zero has two products that are gifts to those of us unable to eat sugary things. This is how their delicious hazelnut spread compares with traditional Nutella: 
If you love Nutella, the good news is that you can eat it, as long as you combine it with the right things. The ZOE app helps you do figure that out—nothing is off limits when you eat this way. But when you want smooth, chocolatey deliciousness, the Choc Zero Keto Spread is your friend and it comes in four flavors - the dark chocolate is my favorite.  

If you're a nut-butter and jam person, then get excited about Choc Zero jam, available in strawberry, raspberry, and marmalade. It's delicious and this is how it scores: 


It scores like berries, but tastes like really good jam. 
Last item on the sweet list are these delicious candied pecans by Trader Joes! And again, the ZOE score will make you do a happy dance: 
You should obviously NOT live on sugary things and these nuts are sugary. But they're a perfect partner for a handful of blackberries, especially as dessert. Another thing you start to learn using this app is that eating sweet treats after a meal is a much better idea than having them on their own as a snack. 
If you're on the go and really need a snack between meals, Trader Joe's Teriyaki Seaweed is a great option. Here's how ZOE scores it: 
This snack is also a great way to add sea greens to your diet. The goal is "diversity of plants" and for most people in the US, seaweed doesn't pop up often in regular meals. With my poor blood fat control, it's better to eat this in combination with a meal. But in pinch, I'll eat it on its own.

If you're craving something savory and crunchy, then most parmesan crisps score decently:

But not great for my blood fat so again, I'm definitely not going to eat a whole bag of these. Instead, I love to eat them as part of a meal, like with avocado toast: 
Here's how the whole meal scores ... again, combining foods in the right way makes all the difference: 









 

  





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No-sugar blueberry muffins

There's a lot to love about these almond-flour-based muffins. Yes, they're sugar- and gluten-free and each one serves up 10g of protein. But the best part? Feel free to top them with favorite sweet things like Nutella or nut butter and jam, and they'll still get a high score from ZOE. (What's ZOE? Read about it here). My recipe is inspired by one I found in The Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook by Dr Mark Hyman. (Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.)

First, here's the ZOE score for the muffins alone: 
With ZOE, you're aiming to eat meals that score 75 or more so this is great score for a muffin. Here's what happens if you pair it with Nutella: 
It's still a decent score considering how much sugar is in Nutella, and my 12-year-old daughter loves this combination. Instead of Nutella, consider Choc Zero's keto spread - there are 4 flavors. 
Want to take the score up to 93? Pair a muffin with almond butter and my favorite sugar-free jam: 
I hope you're convinced that a sugar-free muffin can be really delicious! Let's get into the recipe. 

You need a couple of mixing bowls and a large muffin tray (this makes six big muffins). Muffin ingredients: 
Olive oil or non-stick cooking spray 
Almond meal
Baking powder
Cinnamon
Salt 
Eggs
Unsweetened applesauce
Vanilla extract
Frozen blueberries
Hemp seeds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare a 6-cup non-stick muffin pan with olive oil or baking spray.
Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another (except the blueberries - they go in as late as possible). Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix until there are no dry patches. Once the muffin pan is greased and the oven is ready, add the blueberries. They need to go in right before you put these babies in the oven. This prevents the berries from defrosting into the mixture and turning it all purple. 
The muffin cups should be close to full, then pop them in the oven for 25-30 mins. 
They're done when they're golden and a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. 
Pop them out onto a cooling tray for at least 10 mins before serving. 
These muffins can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months so do yourself a favor and bake a double batch! 
And remember: adding almond butter and/or Choc Zero raspberry or strawberry jam will add even more plants to your meal and make them extra yummy.

HOW TO MAKE SUGAR-FREE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS


PREP TIME: 15 mins
COOK TIME: 25-30 mins
SERVINGS: 6

INGREDIENTS

  • Olive oil or non-stick cooking spray 
  • 1 cup of almond flour (or meal - that works too)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 large eggs (I haven't tried a vegan substitute but I bet it would work fine)
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup of frozen blueberries (the smaller the better)
  • Optional: 1.5 tablspoons of hemp seeds because they're great for you and this is good way to sneak them in. 

STEP BY STEP


- Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a 6-cup nonstick muffin pan with either olive oil or baking spray.

- Stir together the almond meal, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.

- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, applesauce, and vanilla extract.

- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix until there are no dry patches. Once the batter is smooth (and the oven preheated), fold in the blueberries. It's crucial that they go in last, otherwise they start defrosting in the mixture and turn everything purple. 

- Divide batter evenly among 6 muffin cups. Give the pan a few gentle taps on the counter to remove any air bubbles. 

- Bake for 25-30 mins. The muffins are cooked if a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a muffin. Let the muffins cool on a wire rack for 10 mins before serving. Leftover muffins can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days and in the freezer for up to 6 months. So make a double batch!


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