Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Muffins (Low Carb)

One of my favorite flavors of the summer is lemon! Not only does it smell so refreshing and bright, but it has the most invigorating and lively taste. It’s one of those flavors that just makes you feel so good—and I mean that. Snacking on something lemony gets my day off to a great start, and it’s turned some bad days around, too!

My mom has been begging me to make a lemon recipe for a few weeks now, and with summer officially here, I thought this would be the perfect time to share with you my Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Muffins. They are SO fresh, SO light, and SO fluffy! With wholesome ingredients, subtle flavors of lemony goodness and a moist, melt in your mouth texture, they’re the perfect low carb, low calorie breakfast or snack you’ll want to make again and again.

They’re seriously sunshine in bite-sized form!

And don’t let the protein powder scare you. These muffins have no chalky, protein powder taste AT ALL. And I thank PEScience a lot for that!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE LEMON POPPY SEED PROTEIN MUFFINS

• Perfectly light and fluffy texture.
• Subtly sweet, tangy, and amazingly refreshing!
• Made with wholesome, fresh ingredients.
• Low carb, low calorie, and packed with protein!
• A great option for meal prep.
• So easy & simple to make!

MUFFIN INGREDIENTS

• Protein Powder – I used PEScience Cake Pop. A subtle flavor like cake pop or vanilla works best for this recipe. If you want to use another protein powder, just make sure it is one that is a whey + casein blend. For all Pescience products, you can use my affiliate code LaurenFitFoodie to save 10% off your purchase.
• Coconut flour – I used Viva Naturals.
• Lemon – Use the juice and zest for that fresh lemon flavor!
• Coconut oil
• Egg
• Greek yogurt – I used plain, nonfat Greek yogurt for these muffins.
• Syrup – To keep this recipe lighter, I used sugar-free pancake syrup.
• Classic baking goods – You’ll need baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract.
• Xanthum gum – Optional to hold the muffins together better. I use Bob Red Mill.
• Milk – I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

HOW TO MAKE LEMON POPPY SEED PROTEIN MUFFINS

No fancy equipment is required to make these Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Muffins! All you need are some old fashioned mixing bowls, a muffin pan, a whisk, and a spoon.

Follow these easy steps:

• First, dry ingredients. Combine the coconut flour, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, xanthum gum, salt, and sweetener. Then, stir in the protein powder. Use a larger bowl for this since this is where you’ll be mixing the final batter.
  
• Then, wet ingredients. Whisk together the melted coconut oil, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the lemon juice, syrup, yogurt, and almond milk.
  
• Give it a quick mix. Combine your wet and dry ingredients. The less vigorously you mix, the fluffier your muffins will be!
  
• Bake. Pour batter in muffin pan and bake for 20-25 minutes!

SUBSTITUTIONS

• Protein powder: These muffins use a whey + casein blend protein powder, so make sure whatever brand you plan to substitute is also a whey + casein blend and a brand that bakes well. I only have experience baking with PEScience protein powders, so I can’t vouch for other brands. However, I do know some bake better than others. I’d also recommend a neutral flavor so it doesn’t overpower the lemon in the muffins. If you wish to omit the protein powder completely, just do so gram for gram with all-purpose, whole wheat, oat, or gluten-free flour.
  
• Coconut flour: Coconut flour is about 3 times as absorbent as regular flour, so I wouldn’t recommend replacing with another flour if you can help it. If you must, I recommend using all-purpose, whole wheat, oat, or gluten-free flour and tripling the amount. This will change the nutritional information.
  
• Coconut oil: You can substitute with canola oil or butter. You could also use olive oil. Note that it would bring a stronger olive oil flavor to the muffins.
  
• Syrup: I used sugar-free pancake syrup to keep the calories a little lower. Normal pancake syrup, maple syrup, agave, honey, or any other sticky sweetener would work!
  
• Milk: Almond, cashew, dairy…any milk of choice works here!

MY TOP MUFFIN TIPS

• Organize and prepare! Always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, that they’re at the right temperatures, and that you have the proper equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!
  
• Use a silicone muffin pan. Silicone makes baking a breeze! No more losing half your muffin in aluminum pans or liners. Barely any clean up!
  
• Don’t over mix! Really! Over mixing can really mess up the texture.

HOW TO STORE LEMON POPPY SEED PROTEIN MUFFINS

Keep your muffins stored in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the fridge for up to a week. Or you can leave out and they will stay fresh for about 5 days. I prefer them fresh out of the fridge; Simon likes them best at room temp.

If freezing, wrap each muffin individually in aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or parchment paper and keep stored in an airtight Ziploc bag. Sealing air tight prevents freezer burn. Let defrost overnight in the fridge.