Preparation time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 30 to 35 minutes

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• Grain-Free Banana-Raisin Muffins

This not-too-sweet, almond flour–based muffin is appropriate for those who avoid all grains. It makes a dense, moist muffin and travels well. If you like, experiment with alternative sweeteners in place of the brown sugar. Try maple sugar, coconut sugar, or date sugar; each lends its own distinct flavor. You can also replace the raisins with dried cranberries, blueberries, or cherries . . . or the same amount of mini chocolate chips, since it’s okay to have chocolate for breakfast at my house!

Makes 6 muffins

• ¾ cup almond meal/flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ½ cup mashed ripe banana, about 1 medium banana
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons canola oil or grapeseed oil, or coconut oil (melted and slightly cooled)
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup raisins or chopped dried plums, or pitted and finely chopped dates

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Generously grease the cups of a 6-cup standard muffin pan or line with paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond meal/flour, cinnamon, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt until well blended. In a small bowl, beat the egg, banana, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together with a fork or whisk until smooth. Stir the banana mixture into the almond meal/flour mixture until well blended. Stir in the raisins. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups (for perfectly proportioned muffins, use a 1½-inch metal spring-action ice cream scoop to portion the batter).

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then remove the muffins from the pan. Serve slightly warm.

Per muffin: 210 calories, 8g protein; 9g total fat; 2g fiber; 29g carbohydrates; 31mg cholesterol; 224mg sodium