I like making this recipe and freezing it for the kids ahead of time. That way, they have a healthy option for school and church celebrations. Of course, non-healthy eaters seem to gobble these muffins up too!
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Benefits of Lemon Essential Oil
Lemons are fantastic for your health, and they seem to pop up everywhere. This recipe doesn’t include any fresh lemon juice or rind, just lemon essential oil! While lemons add a delightful citrus note to recipes, they also benefit your body in many ways, primarily due to d-limonene! Here are some of the top benefits you may experience.
Can Improve Your Mental Health
If you were to take a survey, most people would say they’ve felt a little anxiety over the past year. It’s essential to take advantage of God’s tools (like essential oils!) in our fight against negative emotions.
I notice that citrus oils are instant mood boosters in my own home. Lemon essential oil has been shown to decrease anxiety, as well. Components in lemon can also help improve your sleep, making it easier to regain mental clarity. (1) Next time you’re feeling restless, make a hot cup of herbal tea with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Contains Antifungal Properties
Lemon essential oil has a fresh, bright scent that instantly deodorizes a space. We love using it in our Odor-Eating Powder because it eradicates the worst smells!
This is one essential oil you need in your cleaning caddy! Lemon EO is also antifungal, and it can help prevent athlete’s foot, yeast infections, and ringworm. (2) It’s a powerful defense against harmful pathogens.
May Boost Your Immune System
Did you know lemons are a powerful source of antioxidants that can boost your immune system? It sure helps when there are “bugs” going around! We even include lemon in our Immune Boost Blend.
Lemon essential oil is full of vitamin C and is a known remedy to combat cold and flu symptoms. Some people believe that lemons are a powerful agent against sicknesses because they support the kidneys, significantly contributing to overall immunity. (3)
The best part? Lemon essential oil is inexpensive. You can usually get a bottle of high-quality lemon EO for about $10. It’s a multi-tasker that’s worth much more than that!
Healthy Muffin Ingredients 101
Gluten-free baked goods can taste just as good (if not better!) than unhealthy ones. You just need the right combination of ingredients. Here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart.
Sweetener: Natural sweeteners are essential to decadent treats. After experimenting, I found that syrupy sweeteners work best for this recipe. You can use raw honey, which is minimally processed and a total superfood. We love purchasing this ingredient locally at farmer’s markets.
You can also use Grade A Dark Amber maple syrup. It gives the muffins a deep, robust flavor and is a favorite of chefs everywhere!
Butter: This ingredient creates moist muffins. When purchasing butter, look for organic, grass-fed butter. This variety comes from cows that aren’t pumped full of hormones! You can swap raw coconut oil for butter if you’re following a dairy-free diet and get the same yummy result.
Eggs: Eggs are a great protein source and an excellent leavening agent for baked goods. I recommend buying pasture-raised organic eggs. If you live in a rural area, you may be able to form a relationship with a farmer who will sell you farm-fresh eggs!
Gluten-Free Flour: High-quality gluten-free flour is a healthy chef’s secret weapon. Many gluten-free flour blends require you to include an ingredient you may not be comfortable with, so check your label! I recommend using a cup-for-cup blend. If you’re having trouble finding this ingredient locally, you can always find it online.
Sea Salt: Table salt undergoes a rigorous harvesting process that strips it of trace minerals. Your body needs these minerals to thrive! We recommend using Colima sea salt because it’s hand-harvested. This leaves the good stuff intact! You can also use pink Himalayan salt.
Lemon Essential Oil: Lemon EO takes regular muffins to a whole new level! When cooking with essential oils, it’s important to use proper precautions. Adding essential oils to your culinary endeavors is a great way to introduce them to the entire family. It’s also totally safe if you use wisdom. When including an essential oil in a recipe, you also need a dispersant.
Sweetener and butter ensure the essential oils distribute evenly in this recipe. Without them, your mouth would get irritated. Always remember; you never want to ingest an essential oil neat!
Make Lemon Blueberry Muffins
This recipe is easy to make and tastes amazing! Grab some while you can; we can’t promise you’ll have any leftovers.
- Unrefined (no propellant) coconut oil or olive oil cooking spray
- ½ cup raw honeyor Grade A Dark Amber maple syrup
- ½ cup grass-fed butter or raw organic coconut oil, melted
- 1 pasture-raised organic egg
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pink Himalayan salt or sea salt
- 1 cup unsweetened organic vanilla-flavored almond milk
- 8 drops lemon essential oil
- 1 cup organic blueberries, fresh or frozen
- Muffin tin
- Muffin liners
- Mixing bowls
- Toothpick
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with coconut or olive-oil cooking spray. Alternatively, place 12 muffin liners in each cup. Do not spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the sweetener and butter until fluffy. In a separate bowl, beat the egg, then add it to the butter mixture. Mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the almond milk. Add the lemon essential oil and mix until barely combined. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the blueberries. I do this by hand so I don’t overmix.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Step One: Combine the Wet Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with coconut or olive-oil cooking spray, or fill with baking liners (don’t spray). In a large bowl, combine the butter and sweetener until fluffy. In a separate bowl, beat the egg, then mix it into the butter mixture.
Step Two: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.
Step Three: Add Essential Oils
Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the almond milk. Add the lemon essential oil and mix until barely combined. Do not overmix!
Gently fold in the blueberries. I like to do this by hand, so the batter stays light and airy.
Step Four: Bake the Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Fill the muffin tins or papers ⅔ the way full. Doing so ensures that your muffins don’t overflow! Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
These muffins freeze well. We enjoy them fresh out of the oven, and after they cool, we freeze any leftovers. You can freeze the muffins for up to 3 months. To reheat, bake at 325°F for 15-20 minutes.
Gluten-free baked goods taste just as good (if not better!) than unhealthy versions. Check out Mama Z’s Recipe Makeover if you want to learn how to convert recipes yourself.
This free ingredient substitution guide will empower you to stock your pantry with everything you need to create healthy, delicious meals.
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