These muffins make a great tasting, healthy(ish!) low FODMAP snack option. The amount of courgette used is well within FODMAP limits if you keep it to 1-2 muffins per sitting (i.e. leave 2-3 hours before having another). They freeze well too, so make a batch and put some in the freezer – take one out as required leaving it to thaw for a couple of hours. The idea was inspired by a recipe for courgette cupcakes in the Cake Angels, book of gluten free, dairy free cake recipes. I’ve reduced the sugar, changed the spices and few other ingredients but also added extra fibre with the linseeds and sultanas. The low FODMAP diet can lead to reduced fibre intakes but adding linseeds to things like baking, smoothies or porridge is a great way to boost fibre content. Some of the gluten free snacks that you can buy have added fibre in the form of inulin (a FODMAP), particularly those that are marketed as high fibre (you also see it in certain foods labelled “low fat” like yoghurt or some soya milks). Look out for it on labels or better still make your own healthy, higher fibre, low FODMAP snacks and at least you’ll know exactly what you’re getting.
For more baking ideas, have a look through my low FODMAP baking recipes.
- 1 heaped tablespoon linseeds
- 1 heaped tablespoon sultanas
- Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
- 50g walnuts (or pecans make a nice substitute)
- 215g gluten free self raising flour (I used Doves Farm)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 heaped teaspoon ground allspice
- 120g soft brown sugar
- 100ml vegetable oil (I use rapeseed)
- 1 large egg
- 300g courgette, finely grated
- 100g icing sugar
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line a 12-hole muffin tray with muffin cases
- Place the linseeds, sultanas and 50ml of orange juice into a small bowl then mix and set aside for 10 minutes
- Meanwhile put the walnuts onto a baking tray and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes then finely chop
- Sift the flour into a bowl, add the baking powder, bicarbonate and ground allspice then stir well to mix them together
- In another large bowl use a whisk to beat the egg, oil, sugar and teaspoon of orange zest before mixing through the grated courgette, chopped walnuts then sultana, linseed and orange juice mix
- Add the flour mixture and use a large spoon to fold it all together until combined but not over-mixed
- Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and bake for 20-25 minutes. Use a metal skewer to test the centre of a muffin, if it comes out clean they're cooked, if not put them back in the oven and test again after a few minutes
- Cool on a wire rack then mix 1 tablespoon of orange juice with the icing sugar and drizzle over the cooled muffins
Kate Thomson says
Amazing , delicious muffins…love these!
Louisa Reid says
Hi Kate, I’m really pleased to hear you enjoyed them, thanks for the feedback!
Josie says
absolutely delicious. light and moist. nothing like the crumbly dry cakes that most GF recipes seem to make
Louisa Reid says
That’s true, it’s a totally different texture, pleased to hear you enjoyed it!
Josie says
My 5yr old just told me they are her favourite muffins ever (and didn’t change her mind when I said they have courgettes in them). She also asked for them for breakfast every morning. we’ll see about that one
Aggie says
These recipes are fabulously droolworthy and I can’t wait to try them. However, since a bad episode with antibiotics 2 years ago I’ve had gastro-intestinal Candida that’s resistant to anti-fungals…plus IBS…and long for a piece of cake every once in a while! Does it make any difference at all to the baking success of recipes to exclude the sugars (or sweeteners like bananas), in your opinion? ( I don’t crave sweetness, and even a couple of blueberries can aggravate symptoms.)
Thanks so much!
Louisa Reid says
Hi Aggie, you can cut the amount of sugar in a lot of standard cake recipes by half without it making a big difference to the finished product. But if even a couple of blueberries are a problem for you it might be best to stick to a savoury muffin recipe like the last post I made for spinach and cheese muffins which is listed in the snack section. Best wishes, Louisa
Aggie says
Thank you for your speedy reply, Louisa! Been halving sugar content of cake recipes for some years now as a rule without complaints from anyone, but wondered if it affected the baking outcome catastrophically to exclude completely. Love your recipes, and am grateful for your site – what a help it is 🙂
Rakhi says
I forgot to buy gluten free flour, so I used fine polenta instead and they turned out alright (although with that particular grainy texture and slight bitter undertone that polenta cakes sometimes have).
A lovely moist crumb to them, and the orange flavour was nice.
Your website is great and so inspirational!
Louisa Reid says
Thanks for that feedback Rakhi, it’s great to know that the recipe works with fine polenta too. Best wishes, Louisa