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This new recipe combines three of my favorite things into one delicious treat! Blueberries + kombucha + muffins = yummmm! What’s better is they’re packed with good-for-you ingredients like, oat flour and protein powder, not to mention the blueberries (nutrients and antioxidants!) and kombucha (yay for probiotics!).

Have you ever tried that soda hack for baking box cakes? Basically, you take a 12 ounce can of soda and substitute it out for the egg and liquid you add to a box cake mix. The cake turns out light and fluffy with great rise, and if you use the right box mix, perfectly vegan. I’ve done it many times and it got me thinking, what if I use another carbonated beverage, one healthier than a can of cola, aaaand what if instead of a box mix, I make my own?

The carbonation of the soda gives us the rise you would normally get with an egg, so it makes a great vegan substitute. However, eggs serve multiple purposes when it comes to baking, and while the soda hack does create a great rise for a fluffy cake, they can turn out slightly crumbly. That’s because while the soda replaces the leavening purpose of an egg, it doesn’t make a great binder. In this recipe, I add ground chia, which helps bind the muffins together.

If I forgot to mention it, I loooove kombucha, and Blueberry Tart Bambucha Kombucha is one of my favorites! Plus, who doesn’t love blueberry muffins? It seemed liked a great combo to start with. I also enjoy the flavor of the oat flour in these. I think it prevents them from becoming too sweet, and it compliments the blueberries well. Oat flour also works as a great replacement for all purpose flour in gluten-free recipes as its bake is comparable. I did add a bit of xathan gum as well to help the muffins keep their structure, which is important when omitting gluten.

Another reason I like to use oats for baking is they’re decently priced compared to gluten-free flour blends. You are going to pay more if you buy them in flour form, but if you buy the oats and grind them yourself (easily done in the blender!) it makes a really cheap swap. I know we are all trying to find ways to save on groceries these days, am I right? You will be paying a little more for gluten-free oats (not all oats are without gluten!) but they’re still much more affordable than other gluten-free options.

After writing out the recipe, I got to mixing and only had to make a couple of adjustments before popping them in the oven and coming out with a beautiful bake! What’s even better, is the recipe doesn’t use the entire can of kombucha, so while the muffins are in the oven, you get to drink the rest!

If you enjoy this recipe like I do, please let me know. Leave a comment below, or share a pic of yours and tag me on Instagram. Happy Baking!