We love chocolate for a good reason. It is a wonderful source of magnesium. Our body knows that each time we eat chocolate, we get a hit of magnesium which helps us relax our muscles and brain, helps us sleep well, detoxify better and so much more. If you can’t tolerate chocolate or cacao (not uncommon as it can be a gluten cross-reactive food), use carob powder instead.
This recipe uses teff flour. It’s the smallest grain in the world that originated from Ethiopia. If you’ve been to an Ethiopian restaurant before, injera, the bread served in the middle of the table to help you scoop up the other dishes is made from fermented teff flour (and sometimes gluten flour is added to it, so ask first). It is, of course, gluten free. Teff contains 20% protein which is very high for a grain. It is very rich in thiamin also known as vitamin B1 which provides energy for the body, especially the brain and nervous system.
It is also an excellent source of calcium, magnesium and it’s super high in manganese which helps to form connective tissue, bones, sex hormones, plays a role in calcium absorption and blood sugar regulation.
Lastly, teff is also full of resistant starch which is key in blood sugar regulation and acts as a prebiotic for the good bacteria. I wrote a full article about resistant starch and where it’s found here.
I am also using maca which is a Peruvian ginseng known for its estrogenic properties that help women rebalance their hormones.
The recipe is very low is sugar and one trick I’m using here is to add a bit of a natural sweetener (here: maple syrup) and enhance its sweetness by adding a touch of salt and liquid stevia. I personally don’t like the taste of stevia but in this recipe, it’s completely masked.
- 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed (aka flax meal)
- ⅓ cup hot water
- 1.5 cups teff flour (great price at Thrive Market)
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- ½ cup cacao powder
- ¼ cup maca powder
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (from one orange)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk (my favorite brand is Native Forest). If water and fat have separated, give it a good stir to combine them or warm it up in a pan
- 1 cup unsweetened organic apple sauce
- ½ cup melted cacao butter
- ½ cup orange juice
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 10 drops liquid stevia (I use Sweet Leaf)
- 12 squares of dark chocolate
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Mix flaxseed with warm water and let it stand for 10 minutes. This will be your binder replacing egg whites.
- Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl.
- Combine all the wet ingredients in another bowl.
- Assemble flaxseed with the dry and wet ingredients and gently mix together. Be sure not to overwork the batter as it will result in hard and dry muffins.
- Spoon the batter in muffin forms.
- Press down a chocolate square into each muffin.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are firm.
Hi Magdalena! I was just wondering if you thought it possible to sub something else for brown rice flour? I had my food sensitivity test done and rice is on it. Thanks. 😉
Hi Carrie, You can try another gluten free flour that you can tolerate. Maybe coconut flour?
Coconut flour bakes very differently than other flours; I wouldn’t ever try to substitute it without making other changes in the recipe. For one, never sub one-to-one, and usually , more liquid or eggs are needed. Almond flour might substitute though.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Toni. ~HB Team
Do you have the nutritional break down for this recipe?
Also can I substitute any other liquid for the orange juice?
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hi Laurie,
Magdalena’s recipes do not come with macronutrient information such as calories and fat. Magdalena believes in an intuitive way of eating. Often counting calories leads to under eating, which will greatly affect hormonal health. ~HB Team
What exactly is cacao butter – can cacao powder be mixed with a clarified butter? Also for the orange juice can a nut milk (unsweetened of course) be substituted? And one more…can monk fruit powder (organic) be used in place of stevia? Have family member sensitive to stevia.
There’s a liquid monkfruit that might substitute better than the powder. I got mine from either iHerb or VitaCost; can’t remember which one but I’ve really enjoyed it! To me, it has less aftertaste than stevia.
Thank you so much for your input Toni! Great support
~HB Team
Hi Kathy,
Here is a good option for the cacao butter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRRHTNV/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_ulzEDbW2AXW62. Yes, you can use the liquid/powder monk fruit. You may have to sample what amount tastes best to you 🙂
~HB Team
Hello,
Can you recommend a sub for Maca? I have adverse reactions to Maca Root Powder.
Hi Dionne,
There is not a direct substitute but you can leave it our and add more cacao (the additional amount in place of maca). ~HB Team