Pumped-Up Jam Bites

Pump up the jam…bites. Anyone? Here’s a link to what I’m talking about – go 90’s!

Anyway, there are actually a variety of reasons why these delicious little bites are “pumped up.” They are made from teff and oats, which are both whole grains that pack a big nutritional punch. Teff flour is very high in protein, iron, and calcium – in fact, its iron and calcium content is much higher than that of whole wheat flour. Oat flour is protein rich as well, and also happens to be the winner of the soluble fiber contest: it has the most of any grain, ever! If you’re not familiar with soluble fiber, it has a wide range of benefits, from helping you digest all the insoluble fiber you may be eating (and if you’re vegetarian like me, you are probably eating a lot!) to lowering your cholesterol levels, to…well,  a whole lot more. Additionally, these guys have no refined sugar (if you use a fruit-sweetened jam like my favorite brand Fiordifrutta) and are also completely dairy-free. So pump it up!

Okay, but enough about all the health benefits. Let’s get to the taste! And in that respect as well, these little jam bites are totally awesome, in my humble opinion. If you eat them still warm from the oven, they are soft, tender, decadent, and seriously sticky! (The jam will not stay inside these little guys when they are still warm, but will instead ooze out in the most delightful – if messy – way, covering the entire bottom layer with a heavenly fruity finish.) Once they’ve cooled down, they are more akin to a Nutrigrain bar– the outer layer will take on the slightly drier texture of a cereal bar and the jam will stay inside. So you’re really getting two delicious bites from only one recipe! How’s that for pumping it up? (How many times can I reference this song, you guys? Is once per paragraph too much? :p )

These jam bites are super easy to make – the batter comes together in less than 10 minutes and the filling is literally just jam. So what are you waiting for?

A couple notes about the recipe:

-I used a standard-sized silicone muffin pan to bake these guys. If you use a different type of pan, you may need to adjust the baking time. Baking in silicone generally requires more oven time than metal.

-Choose a really nice jam to make these – I prefer a tarter variety, but sweet is good too. It’s just…sweet!

Pumped-Up Jam Bites

• 1 cup teff flour
• 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• ½ cup grapeseed oil
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup maple syrup
• Generous 2/3 cup jam

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a standard-sized silicone muffin pan.

Combine teff flour, oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl and mix well. Make a well in the center and add the eggs, oil, and maple syrup. Beat the wet ingredients with a fork to combine; then incorporate the flour mixture until a batter is formed.

Place a heaping tablespoon of batter in the bottom of each muffin tin, leaving about ¾ of an inch to the top of the liner unfilled. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the dough feels cooked on top and has started to crack in places. Spread a generous 2 teaspoons of jam over each bite, then top with the remaining batter (each one will get about a tablespoon). Return to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes more, until the tops are solid. Let cool in the muffin tins for about 20 minutes if you want them to be decadent but messy; let cool completely if you want to enjoy them in non-messy, cereal-bar form.