*These Raspberry Rhubarb Flax Muffins are a wholesome breakfast loaded with whole wheat flour, ground flaxseed, coconut oil, and maple syrup. Fresh raspberries and rhubarb offer the perfect sweet and tart finish.*

Hi lovelies! I have an awesome spring baking project for you today and I’m so excited, because these muffins are seriously delish 🙂 I was thinking yesterday about my own personal approach to healthy eating. I feel like in the modern day of Instagram and YouTube there are so many people out there pushing these pretty extreme forms of, what they call, “healthy” eating. And it goes far beyond the paleo and the vegan and the raw vegan and the macro counters – which all seem pretty extreme to me in the first place. These days, there are people limiting or criticizing all sorts of different foods, and even food groups, that have tons of nutritional benefits. What strikes me the most are all of the specific products that these people promote. It goes far beyond green juice and greek yogurt; these days that’s turned into grain-free, vegan, nut-based tortillas and raw energy bars made only with dates, almonds, and egg whites. Oh, and don’t forget the daily matcha drinks.

Now, I’m all for incorporating a reasonable portion of these foods, if the timing is right and you actually enjoy them. But the problem is that it can be really, really easy to get sucked in way too far towards these extreme approaches to eating. Especially for young people who are simply experimenting and don’t know any better. And especially when these social media celebrities are posting every single meal they eat on their Instagram stories and literally none of it contains an ounce of refined sugar, dairy, or gluten. I have to say, I like to enjoy a much more balanced approach when it comes to my own diet. You guys already know that I love a good dessert, pasta dish, or pizza, and I indulge in these types of foods regularly. Usually daily 🙂 But I also looove me some fruits and vegetables. My dinner last night was loaded with cauliflower, the most fresh snap peas from the farmers’ market, and a perfectly sweet and ripe mango. I mean, I’ve even been know to choose raspberries over gelato on an occasion or two. I’d rather focus on eating what truly tastes good and what will satisfy my tastebuds and my stomach – and yes, that includes kale and cupcakes, too. So keep your raw, vegan protein balls and juice cleanses and calorie-free, stevia-laden ice cream. I’m perfectly happy to eat a sandwich for lunch, a salad for dinner, and some Ben & Jerry’s before bed.

That being said, I do love incorporating more super healthful foods into my everyday routine – as long as it’s done for fun and for taste, rather than because I feel like I have to. I mean, I love almond butter and I’ve gotten seriously into kombucha recently. And that’s where these delicious wholesome muffins come in. Most of my baking is filled with white sugar and white flour and butter – and I like it that way. Hell, I’ve made another variation of these very same muffins many times that features all three of those ingredients. But today I thought that it would be fun to swap in some new additions. And the results were amazing! These hearty, sweet muffins feature whole wheat flour, ground flaxseed, and lots of coconut oil. Now, I could tell you about the health benefits of each of these ingredients – but I’d rather tell you about the taste! These muffins are dense with a super rich, moist crumb. The flaxseed adds a delicious nutty flavor and maple syrup provides a fragrant sweetness. Of course, I had to add some fruit to these muffins, too. I picked up fresh rhubarb and raspberries from the farmers’ market and tossed them with a bit of brown sugar before folding them into the batter. The tart rhubarb and sweet raspberries both caramelized into these delicious little pockets of flavor. I’m looking forward to substituting blueberries in the summer and chopped apples this fall. So yes, these hearty and healthy muffins will definitely be a year-round favorite in my kitchen. But don’t worry, knowing me I’ll probably be enjoying a doughnut for breakfast tomorrow 😉