Wheat-free Low-Sugar Blueberry Crumble 'Crunchola' Muffins

When I was in high school, I found one the true loves in my life. That love was cereal. Not just any cereal, but a crunchy combination of oats and blueberries known as Crunchola. Opening the box was sheer delight every time as I shook the packet to find the best clusters of granola inside. This love wasn't conventional. This love extended past breakfast time to afternoon tea dates, after dinner treats and on-the-go nibbles. I was slightly addicted.

Cutting out gluten and refined sugar from my diet saw the end of my Crunchola love affair. While the cereal is made of oats, it's not THE healthiest option in the breakfast aisle but it is one of my food memories. Grocery shopping last week I saw my beloved old friend and wondered if there was a way we could once again be friends. Tentatively putting a box in my trolley full of almond butter, broccoli and tofu I wondered how I would introduce my old pal to my new foodie foray.

As a baker, I wanted to turn my old favourite into a sweet treat and the blueberry flavour seemed perfectly matched to making muffins. Coffee shop muffins are usually puffed up high with additives, full of preservatives and bursting with sugar. In my opinion, it is one of the worst foods you could pick, let alone for breakfast. The calorie content is often more than what's in a Big Mac. Looking at my box of blueberry Crunchola, I saw a way we could work together to fix this muffin madness.

Combining Crunchola (which I pulverised to make a Crunchola flour) with a few of my favourite ingredients, I made a delicious breakfast muffin that fused together my former flame and my passion for healthy food. Yummy Blueberry Crumble 'Crunchola' Muffins. Wrap up individual muffins in cling film to freeze or store in a cool place inside an airtight container for up to three days.

Blueberry Crumble 'Crunchola' Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of Crunchola flour* make Crunchola flour by placing 3 cups of Crunchola cereal into a food processor or high speed blender. Process until fine crumbs are achieved. Use any left over flour for the topping.
• 1/4 cup of coconut flour 
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 3 tablespoons of Natvia* the cereal is already sweetened so only a little sugar is needed
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup of almond milk
• 1/4 cup of coconut oil or macadamia nut oil
• 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries
• Topping: 1/4 cup of Crunchola flour mixed with 2 tablespoons of coconut or macadamia oil

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees. Grease two 12-hole muffin tins or line with patty pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the Crunchola flour, coconut flour, baking powder and Natvia.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, almond milk and oil.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir together to combine but try not to overmix. 
5. Add the the blueberries and fold through.
6. Put a generous tablespoon of mixture into each muffin hole or until 3/4 way full.
7. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until slightly risen and golden on top.
8. Let cool slightly in the tray before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool.