Savory Butternut Squash and Lentil Muffins

I love a good ‘ol chocolate chip muffin. Or a blueberry coconut muffin, or a banana nut muffin, or a pumpkin spice muffin.

But sometimes, it’s nice to have a muffin that isn’t sweet. That’s where savory muffins come in.

At first glance, these butternut squash and lentil muffins might look like they’re studded with chocolate chips. When you look close up, though, you can easily see these gluten-free gems are loaded with green lentils, which are packed with fibre, protein and iron.

But the culinary nutrition goodness doesn’t only stem from the lentils. We’ve also got butternut squash (a payload of anti-inflammatory and immune-supportive phytonutrients), coconut oil (an easily digestible, anti-microbial, energy-boosting healthy fat), and flax or chia (great sources of healing, anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids).

And let’s not forget to talk about what isn’t in them: gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, soy, or refined sugar. So we’re kicking it super allergen-friendly here.

You can certainly eat these on their own as a satisfying snack, but you can also slice ’em open and spread on some extra coconut oil, ghee or a nut/seed butter, or serve one alongside a bowl of soup or chili.

And if you want to up the culinary nutrition ante, you can fold in some extra healthy additions like sauteed or caramelized onions, roasted garlic, anti-inflammatory spices such as turmeric, cumin and coriander, or some finely chopped greens.

Butternut squash season is soon coming to an end – so bake up a batch of these to enjoy before you become obsessed with spring produce!