Sausage, Apple & Spinach Buckwheat Muffins
If you have been reading this blog for a while you know that I am a big fan of the FFP’s when it comes to feeding young kids (and ourselves!) The FFP's stand for Fat, Fiber and Protein. When you incorporate those three things into each snack or meal you ensure proper blood sugar regulation. I love a sweet muffin more than anyone, but I am definitely a fan of savory muffins as well! These breakfast (or lunch) muffins pack a tone of nutrition into one portable little meal. Between the mineral and protein rich sausage, antioxidant containing spinach and apples, and fiber rich buckwheat these muffins have it all!
This recipe is great for baby-led weaning if you have a new eater in your family along with any other aged kiddos in the house. I love these muffins so much and my husband and I love having them with our morning cups of coffee while our kiddos enjoy them straight up steamers and a smear of good quality butter for good measure!
A quick note before I get to the recipe. These muffins are made with sprouted flour. I use sprouted buckwheat and millet flour from Second Spring Foods. These muffins are naturally gluten free and because the flours are sprouted, they are much gentler on the digestive system. If you cannot find sprouted flour at your local grocery store I highly recommend ordering some to keep on hand. It makes baking for your little ones’ so much easier when you are well stocked. If you don’t have sprouted flours that is OK!!! Simply soak your flours in the yogurt overnight before you bake these. Check out this recipe for instructions on how to do that!
I hope you all enjoy these muffins as much as we do. Grab your favorite kitchen helper (for me that’s my 3-year old!) a bowl and wooden spoon and get baking!
Sausage, Spinach & Apple Buckwheat Muffins
PREP TIME: 20 minutes COOK TIME: 18 MINUTES SERVES: 24 MINI MUFFINS
1/2 lb pork sausage
1 cup finely chopped spinach
1/2 cup sprouted buckwheat flour
1/2 cup sprouted millet flour (see recipe note)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup whole milk plain yogurt
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup melted ghee, butter or olive oil
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a standard size muffin tin with parchment liners and set aside.
In a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat cook the sausage, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat a bit and cook until it’s no longer pink and lightly browned.
In a food processor, pulse the spinach until it’s very finely chopped (you can also do this by hand but the processor gets it very fine which I like! Up to you! Either way works!
In a large bowl whisk together your flours, baking soda, salt, sage and nutmeg.
Add the egg, yogurt, applesauce and melted ghee. Fold in the reserved pork and spinach.
Divide the batter between the muffin tin. Bake until lightly golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a muffin, about 20-25 minutes
Store muffins in the fridge for 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Serve warm (we like to warm ours up in the oven) and top with a little unsalted butter for a yummy snack!
Notes
Millet flour can be substituted with sprouted all-purpose flour if need be.
