Tender spelt flour muffins with crunchy, chewy trail mix. Easy to make and perfect for a grab and go breakfast or healthy, energy boosting snack.
We had planned a hiking trip to the beautiful and rugged Port Renfrew and as always we needed a delicious picnic to take with us. My husband had seen some awesome looking non-vegan Trail Mix Muffins at the grocery store and asked if I could recreate them at home. I love a good challenge so I set to work and came up with my West Coast Trail Mix Muffins. These West Coast Trail Mix Muffins are made with healthy spelt flour and are interspersed with crunchy, chewy trail mix. They have very little added fat or sugar and make the perfect hiking partner, grab and go breakfast or healthy, energy boosting snack.
The West Coast Trail is a trail in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve which retraces an old telegraph route first established in 1890. It follows a rugged shoreline where approximately sixty-six ships have met their unfortunate demise.
The area is known as the “Graveyard of the Pacific” but despite the morbid name, the landscape and views are incredible. We didn’t walk the whole trail (that takes six to eight days and is very challenging) but spent the day hiking, enjoying the views and eating our muffins!
Our fabulous day out was made even better when we spotted a great big Black Bear on the way home. Would you believe that the camera was in the trunk though so we couldn’t get a picture!
I love to hear your feedback so please let me know what you think in the comments section below and share your photos of my recipes on Instagram (@avirtualvegan) and add the hashtag #avirtualvegan so I don’t miss them!
If you are a muffin fan then be sure to check out my Lemon & Blueberry Cornmeal muffins!
Trail Mix Muffins
Ingredients
- 260g | 2¼ cups spelt flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 100g | ½ cup coconut sugar (any other granulated sugar would work but brown will give better flavour)
- 190g | ¾ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 60ml | ¼ cup coconut oil (liquid measurement)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 180mls | ¾ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 150g | 1 cup trail mix
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
- Mix all the dry ingredients (except the trail mix) in a bowl.
- Add the vinegar to the milk and set aside for a minute.
- Line your muffin pans with liners (see recipe notes)
- Mix all the wet ingredients together.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Add the trail mix and stir until distributed evenly.
- Fill your muffin cases and place in the oven.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Mine took 23 minutes but all ovens vary so test with a tooth pick or skewer and make sure it comes out clean. Cool on a cooling tray.
Recipe Notes
I like to use silicone muffin cases because when baking with limited oil the muffins can stick a bit in paper cases.
I have not tried this recipe with any flour other than spelt so if you sub this you do so at your own risk and I cannot guarantee the result.
This recipe is part of the Life With Lorelai link party
Samuel says
HI there!
I would love to try this recepie, butI do not have apple sauce..is there any kind of substitute for that?
I am not a vegan..so I wouldn”t mind adding an egg for example…thanx very much! 🙂
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Samuel, I have never tried cooking these muffins without the apple sauce. There is 3/4 of a cup of it in there which is quite a lot. Too much to just replace with an egg or two. You would have to make other changes along with the eggs in order to compensate for the different quantities and it would probably end up not working. Mashed banana would probably be a good sub at the same quantity though but only if you don’t mind having banana flavour trail mix muffins. If you do use banana you might need to use a little more milk as they aren’t as wet as apple sauce.
The best option really is apple sauce though. If you have some apples you could quickly make some. It’s so easy. Just peel and chop some apples, I think 3 or 4 would be enough and put in a pan with about 3 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook until soft. It usually takes about 15-20 minutes. Then mash with a potato masher or fork or puree it in a blender.
I hope that helps!
dcclark13 says
YUM!! What a great way to start the day or terrific snack for that amazing hike! I’m so jealous that you got to see a black bear – we visit Yosemite often and every time I say this will be the day! 😀 Sharing your recipe – and THANK YOU for sharing with us at #TryaBiteTuesday! Hope to see you back next week!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks! Now is the perfect time to go bear spotting if you hang out near rivers as they go there to catch the salmon. We will be doing a lot of bear watching in the coming weeks!