Healthy Rhubarb Muffins

I love rhubarb! Even though we can enjoy fresh rhubarb for only a few months here in the Heartland, it is super easy to freeze and enjoy year around. Simply chop it and freeze it. I  freeze it first on a cookie sheet and then transfer to a zipper freezer bag, that way you can scoop out as much as you need, and not have it frozen together in one hard clump.

If you follow my blog, you saw that yesterday I prepared a typical rhubarb muffin recipe, loaded with refined sugar and flour. After I made them, I was determined to prepare a “clean” rhubarb muffin recipe and here is what I came up with. I did not tell my honey what the difference was AND…he preferred the healthy version!

The recipe starts out the same…trim and finely dice 2 c. of rhubarb. Microwave for two minutes, in a glass bowl.

Mix, 1/2 c. maple syrup with 1/4 c. light olive oil. Add 10 drops of Valencia Orange Stevia.

Whisk 2 eggs with 1 c. fat free Greek yogurt. Add to syrup mixture and set aside.

In large mixing bowl, whisk 1 1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour, 1 c. chopped walnuts, the zest of one orange, 1 t. soda and 1 t. cinnamon. Add liquid mixture to this and stir until just blended. Spoon into sprayed muffin tins…

sprinkle with additional cinnamon and  bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Here are the two different recipes side by side…

You can delete yesterday’s blog recipe from your mind because this healthy version out-tastes the sugar laden version…trust me!

They are very moist and the orange zest just adds that special kick! These are a winner in my camp and plan on making these regularly as long as I can beg, borrow or steal rhubarb from my family’s gardens!

Healthy Rhubarb Walnut Muffins

1/2 c. maple syrup
1/4 c. light olive oil
10 drops Valencia Orange liquid stevia
1 c. fat free Greek yogurt
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 t. soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. chopped walnuts
zest of one orange

Mix the oil, honey and stevia together and whisk in the eggs and yogurt. Set aside. In large mixing bowl add the dry ingredients. Slowly stir in the yogurt mixture until just blended. Spoon into sprayed muffin tins, sprinkle with additional cinnamon and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack.