Gluten Free Apple Walnut Flax Muffins

By Julia Howard, MPH, RHN

Gluten Free Apple Walnut Muffins

I know what you’re thinking… Gluten-free muffins!? Moving on.

Wait! I developed this recipe when I was first learning to bake gluten-free and it’s been a staple of my homemade snacks ever since.

I used to ignore/deny the fact that I felt better when I was eating gluten-free. But, the better my diet got (and consequently, my digestion), the more I realized that this issue wasn’t just in my head.

Despite eating a mostly whole-food plant-based diet, I still had issues (e.g., fatigue, foggy head, anxiety, heartburn, slowed digestion) when I ate gluten-containing foods. I have also tested negative for (classical) celiac disease.

Interestingly, a 2018 study (systematic meta-analysis) on this topic was actually titled “Mood disorders and gluten: it’s not all in your mind!”. The study, which included 3 randomized controlled trials and 10 longitudinal studies with a total of 1139 participants, supported the notion that, in susceptible individuals who have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), a gluten-free diet may help improve symptoms of mood disorders.

Unfortunately, unlike classical celiac disease, there is still no agreed upon biomarker for a clear diagnosis of NCGS. A clinical diagnosis of non-celiac gluten sensitivity is currently made using clinical criteria such as “The Salerno Experts’ Criteria” which includes the strict elimination of gluten, followed by a well-controlled reintroduction of gluten, and the detailed tracking of symptoms. Of course, this is only done once the diagnosis of celiac disease has already been ruled out.

Please note, that the self-diagnosis of non-celiac gluten sensitivity is not recommended. It is helpful and strongly advised to discuss this concern with a qualified healthcare professional who can rule out other conditions, including classical celiac disease or irritable bowl syndrome. As a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, I cannot diagnose or treat conditions. This information is for educational purposes only.

But, if you’re one of those people who feels better on a gluten-free diet, here’s my favourite muffin recipe. I sometimes substitute hemp seeds in for walnuts.

Gluten-Free Apple Walnut Flax Muffins

Dry Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups brown rice flour
  • 2/3 cups ground flax seed
  • 1 heaping tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup apples (about 2 medium-sized) chopped (I like to leave the peels on)
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (substitute nut-free alternative like sunflower seeds or hemp seeds, if needed)

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup coconut oil melted
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • ½ cup maple syrup

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Mix together all dry ingredients except apples and walnuts in a bowl
  • Whisk together wet ingredients in a separate bowl
  • Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir well 
  • Fold in apples and walnuts 
  • Spoon batter into muffin tin and bake for approximately 35 minutes.

Thanks for reading,

~Julia

If you’re confused about nutrition or have some nutrition goals you need help with, we offer online nutrition coaching!

Sources

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/11/1708/htm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4488826/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6545713/

Julia Howard - Nutritionist

I’ve been weight training on and off for years but never really had a specific goal or target in mind so routinely stalled out, plateaued or stopped training all together. Before I joined JKC I was definitely in a fitness slump and needed something to motivate me and get me back on track. I did a bit of digging online, looking at various personal training options and gyms around town but JKC seemed like the best option by far. I’ve tried big box gyms and other personal trainers in the past but none of them have had the perfect combination of goal specific fitness programming, welcoming and supportive environment, and the knowledge and passion to back it all up that you’ll find at JKC. Jon and Thomas are great to work with, they know how to motivate you if you’re having an off day and are well versed in all the different ways to make your muscles burn! I also have noticed some major improvements in my deadlifts since I started with JKC and was really happy with the result.

I had signed up for other gyms in the past and never went or rarely went. Something always got in the way or I was just too tired and lacked motivation to go. This way I’ve made a commitment to Jon or Thomas and I try very hard to keep my sessions once I’ve booked in. JKC is different from other gyms that I’ve tried in the past because no one is there to be “seen”. We are all there to get a good workout in and go on with our lives. And it’s a small gym so you get to know everyone and it’s like a big family. When I joined JKC, I couldn’t do a chin up with an elastic band, but I’ve slowly worked up to 10 free hanging chin ups. That was big because I hate chin ups.

I started at JKC in January of 2014 and I’m 67 years old. When I had my Initial Assessment, I knew – almost immediately – that Jon knew what he was doing and what he was talking about. I was overweight, out of shape, and in serious need of someone, like Jon, who could get me back on a fitness/conditioning routine that suited me, my age, my less than acceptable physical condition, my sometimes intermittent RA, and my need for a structured, consistent and yet flexible training and conditioning program that would work for me.

Fundamentally, if I made a choice at all with respect to JKC – it was to continue to come back each week. I have not been in a lot of gyms. To be honest, they used to intimidate me. What makes JKC different is their approach to each and every one of their clients. Jon and Thomas – and now Craig – tailor each training regime to the particular needs of each client. That ensures that the training regime will suit each client upon the start of training and changes as the client improves. It adjusts for any physical setbacks such as injuries and it adjusts for success. It is just that simple.

It is also the consistent encouragement that comes from Jon, Thomas and Craig. That voice that comes to you while you are in the middle of a particularly difficult set – rear-foot elevated split squats comes to mind immediately – that says “good job” or “keep it up” or “just a couple more reps.” To know, in that moment, that you are not alone and the trainer is paying attention to what you are doing. That is priceless for me.

I heard somewhere that achieving your health goals is determined largely by what you do in the kitchen. I am grateful to have found Julia who brought direction and accountability to this most important piece for me. Having Julia in my corner has brought me confidence and certainty that I am on my way to achieving my goals. I highly recommend her if you are serious about making a change and feeling better about your health.

I’ve always struggled with both my weight and anxiety throughout my life. As a writer you live a pretty sedentary lifestyle filled with both realistic and unrealistic deadlines, so I needed something to get me off my butt and to get me moving. JK has been a godsend during this past year and a half in particular. The pandemic has been tough, but workouts with both Thomas and Jon have really helped reduce the stress and strain of a global pandemic, and added an anchor of normalcy back into my life — which has been worth its weight in gold.

JKC has created an incredibly inclusive environment that’s filled with all kinds of supportive folks from all kinds of different backgrounds. For folks like myself, being surrounded by people with such athletic ability can be intimidating in most gyms. It can actually be a deterrent, and it sometimes has been for me. But, at JKC it’s far from that — it’s inspirational. Everyone supports one another. Which is something that’s not easily found in this day and age, inside of a gym or out. Not to sound like a total cheeseball here, but it really feels like a family.

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