Paleo Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips

When I first started trying to figure out what a good Hashimoto’s diet looked like, the answers were all over the place.

The general consensus was that you should eat anti-inflammatory foods. But when I cross-referenced health books to determine what those were, basically the only item anyone could agree on was blueberries, so long as they were organic and not flown in from Chile.

Confusion around food is what led me to The Wellness Project. And The Wellness Project is what finally led me to feel much calmer around food.

The process of researching and trying out experiments in a targeted way on myself taught me to pass any new book or fad diet through the filter of my own intuition and experience. As more products, studies, and solutions hit the market, this has become ever more valuable. Like a charcoal stick for the soul.

When it comes to eating for your thyroid, my rules of thumb are fairly simple: eliminate gluten (it’s inflammatory for most Hashi sufferers, since your body has a hard time telling the difference between the gluten protein and the thyroid protein), watch soy and corn for cross-reactivity, limit sugar to balance your blood sugar and support your whole endocrine system, and most importantly, eat plenty of vibrant plants and fiber.

The latter is where I always tell people to put their focus, because the more good colors you add to your plate, the less room you have for anything less nutritious. You can add one of these great thyroid superfoods to the mix too, but mostly my idea of anti-inflammatory eating is learning to get out of your own way.

This is why a mini Vice Detox is the first leg of my program, 4 Weeks to Wellness—not just for Hashi Posse members, but for everyone—and also why I think it’s equally important to reintroduce your vices into the mix in the short-term so you can learn moderation going forward.

A book that gets an A+ from my inner charcoal stick is The Essential Thyroid Cookbook. Lisa Markley and Jill Grunewald have a measured, sensible approach to Hashi health that very much mirrors my own. I was lucky to have them explain our thyroid numbers and why overly restrictive diets don’t always work for thyroid suffers. And I’m even luckier today to have them share this insanely delicious fall treat.

Lisa developed this healthy spin on pumpkin muffins to be both extra nutritious and minimally sinful. The sweeteners used are coconut sugar and maple syrup, and there’s only 6 tablespoons in the entire recipe. The grain-free blend is made up of gluten-free almond flour and flaxseed meal, making it high in fiber and paleo. And the pumpkin puree adds lots of other vitamins and minerals in addition to major fall warmth and cheer.

The muffins don’t puff up in the same way that traditional baked goods do, but the result is rich, dense and satisfying. I couldn’t get over how delicious they were—so much so that it was a rare sweet I didn’t feel the need to pawn off on my neighbor.

Read on for the paleo pumpkin muffin recipe with dairy-free chocolate chips, and pick up a copy of Lisa and Jill’s The Essential Thyroid Cookbook for more fantastic recipes and reasons why you can enjoy some sweet things in life and still be Hashi healthy.

With health and hedonism,

Phoebe

p.s. The next session of 4 Weeks to Wellness starts soon! If you need help navigating a good Hashimoto’s diet and making some big changes in your life, I would be honored to guide you. It’s much cheaper than one-on-one coaching and the results have been just as astonishing! Learn more here.

Paleo Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

5 from 2 votes

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These gluten-free pumpkin muffins are adapted from The Essential Thyroid Cookbook. They are a great recipe for fall, but pumpkin’s nutrition profile makes them perfectly fine to enjoy year-round. If you can’t do the chocolate chips, chopped apples would make them equally delicious.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Author Phoebe Lapine

Ingredients

• 2½ cups almond flour
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ¼ cup ground flaxseeds
• 1 teaspoon  baking soda
• ½ teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ cup  unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or local honey
• ½  teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½  cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups liners.
• Mix dry ingredients (flour, sugar, flaxseeds, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt) together in a large bowl with a whisk or a fork. Ensure that any lumps in the flour are broken up.
• In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, pumpkin puree, maple syrup or honey, and vanilla together until well combined.
• Combine the wet and dry mixtures and stir with a rubber spatula until well mixed. Gently fold in chocolate chips, taking care to avoid over-mixing. Batter will be thicker than most muffin batters, but will be spoonable.
• Spoon batter into muffin cups until approximately ¾ full. Place muffin tin in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, until tops are golden. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, the muffins are done.

Notes

Cook’s notes: Maple sugar, Sucanat, or any other unrefined granulated sweeteners can be substituted for coconut sugar. Paleo adaptation: Omit dark chocolate chips if concerned about small amount of cane sugar.

If you make this, tag @phoebelapine and #feedmephoebe - I'd love to see it!

Need help finding lifestyle changes that last? Let’s work together to create your path forward. My 4 Weeks to Wellness Course might just change your life. With 4-weeks worth of thyroid-friendly recipes that are gluten, dairy, corn, soy and refined sugar free, not to mention tasty AF, it’s a perfect way to explore your food sensitivities and heal inner and outer chaos. 

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