These paleo and GAPS diet-friendly banana lemon chia seed muffins will brighten up any day with their perfect muffiny texture and delicious flavor!
The most wonderful meal of the day.
There’s no doubt about it, breakfast is the best meal of the day. Especially when you can have dessert for breakfast… Like mocha chia pudding, donuts, or brownies. But we’re not talking about that wonderfulness today. No, today we’re just talking about a normal breakfast food.
You guessed it: muffins.
If you’re not a fan of muffins, you probably should be. They’re practically healthy little cakes without frosting. And how could you go wrong there?
Muffin love.
My family is a huge fan of muffins. Well, at least I am. So I convince the rest of my family to eat them. They’d rather have rice cereal, but I think that’s rather boring (plus I can’t eat rice).
If you’re looking for muffin inspiration, you’ve come to the right place! Here are a few of my grain, dairy, and refined-sugar free favorites:
- Banana Avocado Mint Muffins
- Dark Chocolate Triple Berry Muffins
- Savory Pumpkin Muffins with Apple & Sage
- Personal Pan Paleo Mocha Muffin
- Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Banana Lemon Chia Seed Muffins
Even though I obviously have some amazingly delicious muffin standbys, I’m always on the lookout for new ideas. The other day I was perusing Instagram and came across this post on The Big Man’s World’s feed. My brain started buzzing.
After a few tweaks, some additions, and the leaving out of sugars, I was pleased with my new muffin creation. My husband was pleased too! He usually is not a fan of gluten-free muffins, but these were a hit. I even got the much-coveted “These almost taste like real muffins” from him.
That’s how you know you’ve got a winner.
A few notes.
Now, when I came up with this muffin, I was hankerin’ for a lemon poppyseed muffin. Unfortunately, I never ever ever have poppyseeds in my house. But thankfully I usually do have a little wonderful thing called chia seeds. And they are the perfect stand-in! If you happen to have poppyseeds around, you can feel free to use those.
In Arman’s recipe, he says that flax eggs will work instead of regular eggs. I personally have not tried this, but I do trust that he has. With his recipe, anyhow. I did add in coconut flour, which normally doesn’t work with flax eggs. But since it’s not a lot of coconut flour, you could probably get away with using flax eggs if you need to be egg-free.
Last note, I did use my homemade baking powder in this recipe. Baking powder is NOT on the GAPS diet, but you can use it if you are just looking for a paleo muffin. If you’re on GAPS, just use baking soda. The muffins won’t be so fluffy, but they’ll still be delicious!
In the recipe card I’ve linked to some of the products from my affiliate partners that I like to use. Purchasing through these links won’t cost you anything extra. Thanks!
Banana Lemon Chia Seed Muffins
Free from grain, gluten, dairy, and refined sugar.
Ingredients
- 2 bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
- 6 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (I like to make my own, or use this kind)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 3/4 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour (I like to make my own)
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (for GAPS) or 1 teaspoon baking powder (for normal people)
- 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 and grease/line 12 muffin cups.
In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add in remaining wet ingredients and mix together.
Dump dry ingredients on top of wet ones and mix well.
Pour 1/4 cupfuls into prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes.
These look lovely! I love that use bananas for most of the sweetness here too, even better! I personally like chia seeds WAY more than poppy seeds (besides looks, never understood those tasteless seeds?!)
Haha. I agree, chia seeds are more fun. 😉 Thanks, Tessa!
I love the banana + lemon flavor of these. The lemon is such a nice addition and so fun with the crunchy little chia seeds in there too.
Thanks, Emily!
These are going to be such a treat for those on GAPS that haven’t been able to have a muffin yet! How special! The flavor sounds amazing – we have muffin morning on Thursdays so I will put this on my rotation to try soon!
Thanks, Renee! I hope you get to enjoy them. 🙂
You had me at lemon! I absolutely love lemon flavored baked goods, so I know I’ll love this. That texture looks so perfect!
Thanks so much, Jean! Lemon is one of my favorite flavors, too. 😉
These look so delicious and appealing, Raia!! I love that top crust and tender crumb inside!
Thank you so much, Megan! 🙂
Lemon muffins sound wonderful. How creative to add chia seeds too! I have got to give this a try!
I hope you enjoy them, Yang!
“These almost taste like real muffins”… LOL It’s been so long since I’ve had a “real” muffin that I bet it wouldn’t taste real to me! And this flavor combo is so unusual, but I can see that it really works!
Haha! I agree, I can’t even remember the last “real” muffin I had!
The golden color on these muffins is beautiful! I love anything lemon and will definitely make these. Also like that these have almond flour, it’s one of my favorites!
Thanks, Joni! I hope you enjoy them!
3 yummy muffin flavors rolled into 1. Sounds like a delicious way to start your morning.
Haha! Thanks, Nicole!
Would it be possible to use lemon juice instead of lemon extract?
Definitely! The flavor might not be as strong, though, so you may want to double it. 🙂
The combination of banana and lemon is intriguing! Looks awesome!
Thanks Jules!
What a fun and healthy twist on poppyseed muffins!
Thanks Celeste!
You’re totally right – I have like BAGS of chia seeds and I don’t even know where to buy poppy seeds! I do like lemon poppyseed though! I mean – all the same crunch!
Haha! Yes! Love the crunch. 😉
I cannot have almonds. At. All. Any ideas for a substitution for almond flour that isn’t simply GF flour?? Totally want the health quotient!!
You could try cassava flour. I haven’t tried it, though, so I can’t say for sure how it will turn out.
This is such a yummy and unique combo of ingredients. I love muffins any way I can get them but I’ve never made them with banana and lemon. So fresh!
Thank you, Karen! It is a fun flavor combo!
Oh my! They look so moist and fluffy delicious! It’s the perfect afternoon tea snacks or morning breakfast!
Thank you, ChihYu!
I love all of the ingredients in these muffins. I would eat them for dessert too!
Haha! I probably would too. 😉
What a great way to use extra ripe bananas, just love the lemon chia additions!
Thanks, Kari!
These look SO good! Chia seeds.. such an ancient protein. I enjoy experimenting with Chia seeds.. Cannot wait to try these!
I love them, too! So fun. 😉 My kids call them little dinosaur eggs. Haha.
I have everything but the honey, is there something I could use in place of that?
You could use maple syrup or agave.
They look so soft! My oldest is wanting a baking project today and this is perfect for her! Thank you!
I hope you and your girls enjoy them, Renee!
my ingredients stayed very crumbly ! they never mixed into a batter!! is this normal with gluten free?
Hm… yes, it can be that way when using coconut flour. You could try adding another egg and see if it helps. I’ve never had that issue, and I make these often.