3 Muffin recipes under 200 calories each

When you’re trying to stick to a healthy eating plan, it’s often the snacks that derail all your good intentions. Fight your hunger cravings with these delicious low-calorie muffin recipes that are as filling as they are healthy.

These delicious low-cal muffin recipes taste as good as they look, and each one carries less than 200 calories per snack.

When simple and satisfying is the aim of the game, it doesn’t get much better than these easy-peasy spinach and feta muffins. Make a batch and keep them in the freezer and simply pop one in your microwave when you’re in need of a mid-morning pick-me-up.

Calories: 160 per muffin

Makes 12 medium muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup spinach leaves, chopped (frozen spinach is fine)
• 50 grams feta cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until just combined.
2. Heap 1 tablespoon full of mixture into a 12-14 greased patty tin and top each one with a little extra grated cheese to bubble and brown.
3. Bake at 200 degrees C for around 12 minutes, or until the tops turn golden brown.

I’ve been making muffins from this adapted Edmonds recipe for over 20 years and they’re always a hit. These sweet muffins are moist without being too dense, and one medium-sized muffin is just enough to satisfy your sweet craving.

Calories: 185 per muffin

Makes 20 medium muffins

Ingredients:

• 100 grams softened butter
• 1 cup loosely-packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups wholemeal flour
• 1-1/2 cups plain flour
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Edmonds baking soda
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl, then beat in the eggs.
2. Sift the wholemeal flour, plain flour, baking powder and salt together and return the husks from the sifter to the bowl.
3. Dissolve the baking soda in the milk.
4. Add the sifted ingredients alternately with milk to the butter, egg and sugar mixture, mixing just to combine.
5. Spoon the mixture into greased patty tins and bake at 200 degrees C for around 12 minutes, or until the tops turn golden brown.

The healthiest of the lot, these vegie muffins are delicious as a snack, or pop two on a plate with a fresh side salad and enjoy them as lunch. Mix and match the vegies depending on what you have in stock; corn always adds a nice burst of sweetness and spinach is great for a boost of iron. For a bit of extra flavour, you can also add chopped bacon, ham or sundried tomatoes, although the recipe as listed below creates a flavour sensation in its own right.

Calories: 155 per muffin

Makes 15-18 medium muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 cup wholemeal flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 medium carrot, finely grated
• 1 medium zucchini, finely grated
• 1 small capsicum, finely chopped
• 1 small sweet potato, finely grated
• 1 cup grated light cheese
• 50 grams melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place the flour and baking powder into a bowl and add all of the grated vegies. Mix well.
2. Add the grated cheese.
3. Stir in the milk, eggs and melted butter. If the mixture is too thick and stodgy, add a little more milk until the consistency is slightly runnier.
4. Heap 1 tablespoon full of mixture into each greased patty tin or muffin wrapper and top each one with a little extra grated cheese.
5. Bake at 200 degrees C for around 12 minutes, or until the tops turn golden brown.

More healthy eating tips

Healthy breakfasts under 300 calories each
Potent foods that heal the body and soul
3 Easy dishes for Meatless Mondays