Erin Gahagan finds a healthy new way to i gnite he r super powers.
Former Super Mario Bros. addict It’s a little-known fact that the summer before sixth grade, I was a die-hard gamer. From sunup to sundown, you could find me in the basement, sitting on a ‘70s-relic rust-colored shag floor pillow, adeptly navigating the levels of my new obsession: Super Mario Bros. 3. While I’d enjoyed its predecessors in Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. cannon, I adored Super Mario Bros. 3 to an unhealthy extent.
The good news is, I got older and ceased spending my summers in front of a console in a damp basement. But that doesn’t mean I forgot my Super Mario Bros. fantasy: Wouldn’t it be totally awesome if power-ups were real? I mean, pop a Super Mushroom and you can break bricks! Scarf down a Super Leaf and you can fly!
The good news is, I got older and ceased spending my summers in front of a console in a damp basement. But that doesn’t mean I forgot my Super Mario Bros. fantasy: Wouldn’t it be totally awesome if power-ups were real? I mean, pop a Super Mushroom and you can break bricks! Scarf down a Super Leaf and you can fly!
![Vegan Cheat Sheet Power Muffins](/uploads/2/0/2/8/20285015/7979159.jpg?139)
Ok, so breaking bricks and flying might be bold goals best left to SMB3 (that’s what we gamers call it). The gals behind The Vegan Cheat Sheet have, however, discovered a real-life power-up they call Power Muffins (page 166; recipe below).
While they won’t make you fly, they will fill you with energy-boosting ingredients that’ll carry you through the day. Which is a pretty good superpower in itself!
While they won’t make you fly, they will fill you with energy-boosting ingredients that’ll carry you through the day. Which is a pretty good superpower in itself!
![Vegan Cheat Sheet Power Muffins](/uploads/2/0/2/8/20285015/1255195.jpg?330)
First things first: These muffins require a lot of ingredients, but most are staples you probably already have on hand. Those you may have to seek out are chia seeds, flaxseeds, and wheat germ.
Now I know these items are super healthy—but I have no idea why. So I quickly checked in with Dr. Oz (via doctoroz.com; regrettably, I don’t actually know the good doctor) and found:
Now I know these items are super healthy—but I have no idea why. So I quickly checked in with Dr. Oz (via doctoroz.com; regrettably, I don’t actually know the good doctor) and found:
Flax Seeds—great source of fiber; plant source of omega-3 fatty acids (which our body doesn’t make naturally, yet helps immensely with our anti-inflammatory system); contain lingans, purported to reduce the risk of some cancers.
Wheat Germ— the most vitamin- and mineral-rich part of the wheat kernel; packed with B vitamins, fiber, phytosterols (which promote good cholesterol), healthy fatty acids, minerals, and vitamin E.
![Vegan Cheat Sheet Power Muffins](/uploads/2/0/2/8/20285015/7435245.jpg)
Sounds good to me! The muffins I’m used to, after all, are pretty much butter and oil and God knows what else. This is definitely a health upgrade!
The Power Muffins are simple to whip up—mix together the dry ingredients, mix the wet ingredients, then combine and dole out into a muffin pan.
The Power Muffins are simple to whip up—mix together the dry ingredients, mix the wet ingredients, then combine and dole out into a muffin pan.
![Vegan Cheat Sheet Power Muffins](/uploads/2/0/2/8/20285015/6814492.jpg?112)
The end result? A super-healthy breakfast or snack, at home or on-the-go. The recipe makes 18 muffins, and they keep really well, so you’ll be set for a week. They’re a blank canvas for adding your own twists, too.
![Vegan Cheat Sheet Power Muffins](/uploads/2/0/2/8/20285015/5061252.jpg?190)
I have an insane sweet tooth, so my trick is to add Trader Joe’s Fig Butter to a warm muffin (have you tried Trader Joe’s Fig Butter? If not, stop reading and go buy some. I could write an entire post on its genius. It’s not actually butter, by the way—more of a jam).
So while Power Muffins may not give me the ability to shoot fireballs or evade my enemies by turning into a statue, they’re a pretty fabulous energy-boosting treat. Especially when I eat them while wearing overalls and a red “M” hat.
So while Power Muffins may not give me the ability to shoot fireballs or evade my enemies by turning into a statue, they’re a pretty fabulous energy-boosting treat. Especially when I eat them while wearing overalls and a red “M” hat.
Power Muffins
makes 18 muffins
![Picture](/uploads/2/0/2/8/20285015/7959852.jpg)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1-½ cups white whole-wheat flour or whole-wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
½ cup applesauce
½ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup almond milk
½ cup raisins
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed or flaxseed meal mixed with 6 tablespoons warm water; let sit for 10 minutes
Preheat oven to 350°.
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1-½ cups white whole-wheat flour or whole-wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
½ cup applesauce
½ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup almond milk
½ cup raisins
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed or flaxseed meal mixed with 6 tablespoons warm water; let sit for 10 minutes
Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a large bowl, toss together chia seeds, wheat germ, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients and add to flour mixture. Mix until well blended.
- Pour in nonstick muffin pan (or line muffin pan with paper cup liners) and bake for 30 minutes. Cool and serve.