Almond Chia (not poppy!) -seed Muffins

I have been in a sort of internet wasteland, without the bandwidth to make blog posts. For this brief moment, it's flowing, so I'm going to get a recipe posted before the window closes. :)

In the work world where mandatory, random drug tests are common, poppy seeds are a cause for concern. They are trying to refine the standard tests so they'll be able to differentiate between opium use and having a bagel. In the meantime, it's good to be careful.

In thinking of this, I started to ponder what could substitute for the poppy seeds in some of our favorite muffins. This recipe is the result of my quest. I am happy with it and have thoroughly enjoyed the results of my research. :) These are moist, tender and tasty, and the chia seeds give that good crunch we love from poppy seeds. :)

Just a note- I've been working to cut our sugar intake, so the sweetness is less than when they're made with regular sugar. I've tried using more agave nectar, but it made the batter too wet to cook normally and gave them that funky too-much-agave aftertaste. At some point, I'll experiment with adding just a bit of honey to this recipe. If I do, and the results are good, I'll add a note here.

In addition to being a substitute for poppy seeds, chia seeds bring a number of nutritional benefits to the table. They are a "super food."

"Everything-free" Almond Chia-seed Muffins
no gluten, dairy, egg, soy, etc. etc. etc.
Makes 12 muffins

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
Line baking tin with paper liners

Hydrate chia seeds~combine
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup water

While those soak, in a large bowl, combine and whisk together thoroughly:
1cup Millet flour
1cup Arrowroot or tapioca starch
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a separate bowl, combine:
1/2 cup light agave nectar
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons melted buttery-flavored coconut oil
2 teaspoons almond extract
~ and the hydrated chia seeds

Add wet ingredients to dry and stir well. Scoop into prepared muffin tins. I use a two-tablespoon dough scoop, with one heaping scoop per muffin.

Bake at 425 for 4 to 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes more. I learned this trick from another recipe. When I find my note on who had this great suggestion, I will add that information here, to give proper credit to the blogger who shared it. She said that those few minutes at the higher temperature help give more rise to the muffins and I've found that to be true.***

When muffins are done (tops don't squish down when gently pressed) remove and let cool in the pan for just a minute or two. Remove from the pan to a cooling rack.

***I found it! The site where I learned this tidbit was called Sally's Baking Addiction. :)