HEALTHY BIRTHDAY MUFFINS
Happy Birthday Healthy Muffins – 12
I wanted to make birthday cupcakes to take to a friend’s party at a restaurant.
I am not used to baking with ordinary flour or sugar, so I decided to use some healthier ingredients, hoping they would be tasty for everyone. I believe they were a hit.
I used spelt flour so they are not gluten free, but the freshly ground spelt flour contains all the healthy nutrients found in spelt flour.
I chose coconut sugar which is a much healthier low glycemic choice than regular sugar.
I used diary-free yogurt.
I also used avocado oil which is a much healthier fat.
In brackets I have shared other substitutes for those on a restrcted diet!
SPICED CARROT MUFFIN – 1 dozen
1 3/4 cups freshly ground spelt flour (for gluten free use coconut, almond, cassava, or tapioca flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup coconut sugar (for no sugar use Xylitol, Stevia, Monk Fruit, erythritol, or Tastes like Sugar)
3 eggs
1/2 cup plain unsweetened yogurt (I used dairy free)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup avocado oil
1 1/2 cup finely shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins or cranberries
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 ° F. Grease 12 muffin holes or use paper liners.
In a large bowl place all dry ingredients; mix with a fork. In a smaller bowl beat together eggs, yogurt, vanilla & oil. Stir carrots and raisins into dry. Pour & mix the wet ingredients into the dry until moist.
Fill each hole 1/2 full. Bake 18 – 20 minutes.
You may wish to enjoy these muffins with butter, but if you want to top them with cream cheese icing, here is a recipe I used yesterday. I used icing sugar, but if I make them for us, I would blend erythritol or monk fruit into a fine powder in a coffee grinder and use it instead.
CREAM CHEESE ICING – enough to decorate 12 muffins. I used pink and white icing.
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup unsalted butter (or a mixture of 50% butter 50% coconut oil)
2 cups icing sugar (or powdered erythritol or monk fruit)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon meringue powder (I used instant clear gel very successfully)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Beat cream cheese, softened butter & vanilla well. Mix dry ingredients and add to the wet as you beat. Chill & then mix in a few drops food coloring of choice. Press through cake decorator.
As more & more individuals are facing allergies or intolerances to certain ingredients or foods, many stores are selling a great variety of healthy seeds, flours, sugars and other ingredients. For me the best way to meet these challenges is to make my own recipes so I know exactly what is in the foods we consume. I guess that is one reason why I create my own recipes. Another reason is because we like to enjoy the taste so I add and take away until the food tastes delicious. Winnie