There’s nothing quite like a breakfast muffin. They’re relatively simple to make, easy to transport and taste delicious. What they’re often not, however, is healthy. The ones you buy in shops or cafes are usually packed with sugar or cheddar (again, delicious), so can leave you feeling hungry before lunchtime rolls around. This batch, however, is positively packed with goodness that’s guaranteed to keep you going for hours. 

The Happy Pear duo says this recipe was very popular on its first gut-health course. And gut-wise, there’s plenty here to shout about. First up, it uses flax egg made from fibrous flaxseeds. Then you’ve got oats, which contain beta-glucan (a type of soluble fibre). That’s been shown to reduce blood glucose and insulin response, increase the growth of good bacteria in the gut and reduce bad cholesterol levels.

There are plenty of vitamin E-rich almonds in these muffins, as well as raspberries (antioxidant powerhouses). Make them for breakfast and pack another couple for a mid-morning office snack.

• 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
• 6 tbsp water
• 180g oats (use gluten-free for GF version)
• 50g flour (use gluten-free for GF version)
• 160g ground almonds
• 1 tsp baking powder (use gluten-free for GF version)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 150g coconut oil
• 150g maple syrup or date molasses
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 125g punnet of fresh raspberries
• 20g flaked almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/400°F/gas 6.

2. Next, make the flax egg. Mix the flaxseeds with the water in a small bowl, and leave to sit while you prepare the other ingredients.

3. In a large bowl, mix the oats, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and baking soda.

4. Now, add the wet ingredients. Melt the coconut oil by heating it in a small pot. Add it to the dry ingredients along with the maple syrup or date molasses, vanilla and almond extract and the flax egg and mix thoroughly. Stir through three-quarters of the raspberries and three-quarters of the flaked almonds.

5. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases and divide the muffin mixture evenly between them. Decorate the tops of the muffins with the remaining flaked almonds and raspberries.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, then remove and leave to cool.

Recipe from The Happy Pear 20: Learnings and recipes from the first 20 years, is on sale from 31st October, priced £23.99. Published by Gill Books. Photography by Joanne Murphy.