Dense and delicious

Sweet Potato Date Muffins

When you plan to make a muffin your meal, these are the ones for you. They are dense and delicious, and might just become one of your favourite muffins - ever. You might be looking at the ratio of dry to wet ingredients, or the temperature setting for the oven and think “This can’t work!”, but you’ll just have to trust me – it does! Pile the thick batter high in those muffin cups and you'll get crunchy tops and moist interiors - yum!

300g sweet potato, peeled and cubed (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 cups whole spelt flour
1 cup oatbran
1 cup rolled oats
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup applesauce (homemade or unsweetened store-bought)
¾ cup maple syrup
2/3 cup sunflower oil or softened non-hydrogenated coconut oil

Preheat oven to 410oF. Prepare 12 muffin cups with liners or a light coating of oil and set aside.
Put 1 inch of water in the bottom of a saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Place over high heat, cover, and once the water comes to a boil add the cubed sweet potato, and steam until tender but not mushy, about 6-8 minutes.
Whisk together the flour, bran, oats, baking powder and soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Add the dates and stir to coat in the flour. Pour in the applesauce, maple syrup and oil. Mix together just until all the flour has been absorbed. Gently fold in the sweet potatoes. Portion evenly into the prepared muffin cups (yes, just 12). Slide them into the oven and bake for 28 minutes, until the tops are browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Stores in an airtight container for 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.

Makes 12 large muffins.