Peanut Butter and Blueberry Muffins

Are you in full love mode? With Valentines Day just around the corner, there’s a lot of focus on being with someone. A girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, wife, partner… there are so many couples out there and while I LOVE the day for love, why not celebrate self-love, self-worth and self-care. We need a marked day where it’s totally OK to buy yourself a box of chocolates and a bunch of roses. Let’s make everyday self-love day. How does that sound?

Let’s remove the pressure and stigma attached to being single on February 14^th and celebrate US instead. It may be wise to avoid restaurants on this evening unless you are one very strong individual and can cope with all the romantic table settings, couples gazing longingly into each other’s eyes… and the waiter asking where your date is. Leave them to it – or grab your best gal pal and go out for a date night. Romantic movies and candle lit dinners are also enjoyed with friends and often more fun without the added pressure of “does he/she like me?”

Showing myself some TLC is something I am learning more and more to do every day. Whether that be a gentle yoga flow in the morning, a cup of tea in bed or spending the afternoon in the kitchen, there’s something so very rewarding about indulging in yourself.

Baking is perhaps my favourite way to do this – even though I can often feel the pressure when I am baking for someone or needing the end result to look picture-perfect. That said, one grey afternoon I finally embarked on these Peanut Butter and Blueberry Muffins and I was only too sad that I hadn’t made them sooner.

Back in December 2018 I kindly received a pre-release copy of Amanda’s brand new book “Great Vegan Meals for the Carnivorous Family” and I was blown away with the array of dishes. The author and beautiful lady behind My Goodness Kitchen is the only vegan in a family of carnivores – something to which I fully relate. Her plant-based blog and new cookbook is a reflection of this, meals that tempt anyone and everyone, irrespective of their lifestyle choices. The book boasts warming dishes like ‘Tastes Like Chicken Pie’ and ‘This Lasagna Can’t be Vegan’ to vegetable-centric meals such as ‘Portobello Fajitas’ and ‘Miso Butter Roasted Vegetables’. Where to begin? Well, I know where to end… with the sweet section where ‘Silken Chocolate Peanut Butter Pots’ and ‘Vegan Banana Sundae Tarte Tatin’ grace the pages. The photography is simplistic, rustic and homely while being utterly enticing and beautiful.

I decided to begin at the very beginning in the ‘Easy Egg-less Breakfast’ section where I was delighted by gorgeous French toast, porridge bowls and these muffins.

The original title for these gorgeous treats is ‘Almost Healthy PB&J Muffins’ although I got rid of the ‘almost-healthy’ part, because as long as these taste good and make you feel good, then what does it matter too much? That said, it is an added bonus that these muffins are fibre and protein rich, making them a great on-the-go breakfast option or delicious afternoon treat. Instead of the ‘J’ where Amanda calls for raspberries, I’ve chosen to use blueberries as I love the slightly tangier flavour and burst of these juicy fruits. If you’re using frozen berries, be sure to thaw them beforehand, although I used fresh here. I’ve also opted for coconut sugar as I love the caramel flavour, although brown or other sugar can be used.

These Peanut Butter and Blueberry Muffins are moist, moreish, light, caramel sweet with juicy bursts of berries while being delightfully healthy – they also make the kitchen smell like a dream. Warning: they are addictive.

Peanut Butter and Blueberry Muffins

• Servings: 12
• Time: 40 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Deliciously fruity, moist and peanut butter-y rich muffins that make a perfect healthy snack or breakfast on the go.

Ingredients

• PB Struesel:
• 55g (1/4 cup) coconut sugar*
• 30g (1/4 cup) plain flour
• 15g (1 tbsp) vegan butter or margarine
• 32 (2 tbsp) peanut butter
• Muffin Mix:
• 250g (2 cups) plain flour
• 7g (2 tsp) baking powder
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 90g (3/4 cup) coconut sugar
• 250 ml (1 cup) plant milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 60ml (1/4 cup) neutral flavoured oil
• 96g (1/3 cup) peanut butter
• 300g (2 cups) blueberries, fresh or thawed if frozen**

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 160 Fan/180*C and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cases or grease the tray.
2. For the streusel topping, mix together the flour and sugar. With clean hands, rub in the butter or margarine and peanut butter to form fine breadcrumbs. Leave to one side.
3. To make the muffins, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and coconut sugar in a large bowl and stir. In a measuring jug, whisk together the milk, vanilla, oil and peanut butter until smooth. Pour into the dry mix and stir together, be careful not to overmix. Fold in the blueberries gently.
4. Place a spoon of batter in each muffin hole, top with a small spoonful of peanut butter streusel. Follow with another small spoon of muffin mix and finish off with a good sprinkling of the streusel.
5. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

*I use coconut sugar, the recipe calls for brown sugar for the streusel topping and raw sugar for the muffins.

**I use fresh blueberries, the recipe calls for raspberries.

I hope you will love the recipe for Peanut Butter and Blueberry Muffins as much as I do. Let me know what you think in the comments below and tag me in your creations – I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. Another big thank you to Amanda for the gorgeous cookbook and I wish her and My Goodness Kitchen every success.

With peanut butter blueberry love x