These moist and protein-packed Strawberry Orange Ricotta Muffins are grain-free and refined-sugar free. They are a perfect lunch box addition or a quick and satisfying breakfast.
If strawberries are a favourite fruit, you could also try my easy and delicious Rhubarb and Strawberry Crumble. I eat any leftovers cold for breakfast.
Ingredient Shopping and Preparation Tips
Almond flour, almond meal and coconut flour can be found in a health food store or the health section of the supermarket. Almond flour is also found in the baking section of the supermarket. Almond flour is ground up blanched almonds and produces lighter coloured muffins, however, almond meal works just as well.
I make my own almond meal by blitzing pesticide-free almonds in my Thermomix. Just don’t overdo it or you could end up with almond butter.
Strawberries are always on the Dirty Dozen list. That is, the list of crops that use the most pesticides in produce. If you can’t find or afford organic strawberries then ensure your strawberries are well washed. Some websites recommend soaking fruit in a solution of bicarbonate/baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) for five to fifteen minutes and then rinsing well before using. Lili He, an analytical chemist at the University of Massachusetts says that “Sodium bicarbonate degrades the pesticides, boosting the physical removal force of washing”. Read more about it here.
How to properly wash fruit and vegetables
- Add 1/4 cup bicarb soda to a half a large sink, or a full small sink, of tap cold water.
- Soak fruits and vegetables for about five minutes
- Rinse with cold water
- Pat dry
Cooking Tips
These muffins are perfectly moist as mini muffins. Please don’t be tempted to make them into larger muffins or a cake as the heat won’t get to the centre and cook them enough.
