Strawberry Chia Seed Muffins

Bursting with local berries and an ethically produced egg, you’ll want these easy gluten- and dairy-free treats straight from the oven . . .

Story + Photography by Sarah Carroll

In the late summer, when the trees are full and lush, when it’s time to harvest from the garden, when the hot bright days give way to cool breezy nights, all I can think about is enjoying summer fruit before the season turns. So what better way to experience the joy of summer than to make some muffins that everyone can enjoy, bursting with summer berries.

I may not be an expert in much, but there is one thing I really know how to do: I make a mean gluten-free muffin. So mean that you can, say, serve them to an unsuspecting room of classmates who gobble them down before realizing they have no gluten or dairy in them.

In addition to gluten-free, I like making my muffins dairy-free for a few reasons. First, they’re lighter and don’t send you into a food coma. Second, our dairy-free friends will be able to partake in the deliciousness. And last, buying less but better animal products helps keep this recipe full of the best ingredients for both our taste buds and the food system. Skipping the dairy means a little extra budget room for investing a few other VIP ingredients.

There are a few stars in these gluten-free, dairy-free Strawberry Chia Seed Muffins. First, Featherstone Farm organic, local strawberries so flavorful you’ll have a hard time waiting to eat these babies before they cool from the oven. If you’ve only ever purchased from out-of-state mass berry producers, run right over to your local farmers market or co-op and look for locally grown berries. They taste sweeter and richer because they are picked at the peak of freshness. And they last longer because they’ve travelled less on their way to your plate.

Then, add in a humanely and sustainably raised egg. For most of us, our egg experience starts and ends with grabbing a carton covered with confusing food labels from a grocery store aisle. But not all eggs are created equal. The practices behind our eggs matter, like whether:

laying hens have plentiful access to pasture that balances their need for protection from predators (those ladies deserve to move around and experience the outdoors like nature intended)
laying hens are free-ranging (tricky: you can have a pastured egg that isn't free range! I think the gold standard is eggs from hens that are both pastured and free-ranging.)
laying hens are raised with organic feed and organic practices (don’t forget- you can have an egg raised with organic practices that isn't certified USDA Organic! Lots of excellent farms use organic practices but aren’t certified.)
laying hens are treated with responsible antibiotics use- only when they’re hurt or sick and not prophylactically.
yolks are their natural hue (did you know that some eggs have dyed yolks to make them look more golden? DYED yolks!? Get out of here.)

To narrow your search for the best ethical eggs, start off by visiting your local foods co-op or farmers market. Strike up conversation with vendors and co-op staff. Ask about how the hens are treated and how the eggs are produced- you can even pull up the bullet points in this blog post to guide your questions!). Or, consider buying your eggs farm-direct. Some incredible farms like TC Farm even offer Twin Cities area pick-up locations for ethical egg deliveries!

Last, bulk organic chia seeds from the Eastside Food Co-op give these muffins a nutritional supercharge. Chia seeds pack a punch with protein (nearly 5 grams per ounce, to be exact!). Perfect to take for a lunch treat, an afternoon snack, or grab-and-go breakfast.

So take your time to find some exceptional eggs and local, summery berries, and bulk organic chia seeds and then whip yourself up a batch of these muffins.

Happy ethical eating!