Looks Aren't Everything...

Time for my first baking post!

Today, I made some super-healthy, super-satisfying breakfast muffins. They may be ugly, but I don't think you'll find a healthier, more tasty muffin recipe anywhere. I used King Arthur Gluten Free flour, since I can't eat gluten, and no refined sugar! I personally like the taste of stevia, but to some people, it is a bit bitter. I think it is an acquired taste, so if you are looking for a way to consume less sugar, give stevia a shot! These muffins are full of vitamins and minerals from the banana and carrots (folic acid, potassium, and beta carotene to name a few), not to mention omega-3 fatty acids from the flax and antioxidants from the agave. Plus, cinnamon is thought to be an anti-inflammatory spice. So, enjoy! These tasty treats are about as guilt-free as you can get.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 tbsp. blue agave

1 4 oz. container Trader Joes Vanilla and Cream Yogurt

1 ripe banana

1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/2 c vanilla soy milk

1/2 c raisins

5 peeled, chopped carrots

1 tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa

2 tbsp. ground flaxseed

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. stevia

1/2 c Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Quick-Cooking Oats

First, preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix all the ingredients together in the order they are in above. As for the banana, make sure it is REALLY ripe. Almost rotten. Then, mash it up with a fork in the bowl with the other ingredients or separately, putting it in already mashed.

As for the flax, I learned that you body does not benefit from it as much if you eat it in it's whole form--that's why I grind it up with a coffee grinder and store it in my fridge. 

Grease a muffin pan with coconut oil--you heard me. What I do is get a spoonful of it (it is solid), get a chunk on my (clean!) fingers, and squish it around inside each well of the pan, getting more from the spoon as needed.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until you can stick a knife in a muffin (again, the goal here is not to have pretty muffins) and it comes out mostly clean.

Makes 12 small/thin muffins.

The ingredients!

This is how finely I chopped the carrots--you can see that it's not big chunks, but it's not super-fine either. I like having some crunch in my muffins!

This is the coconut oil I use to grease the muffin tin.

 The batter! I know, doesn't look super appealing...

...and the dishes. Every rose has it's thorn, right?

I hope you enjoy! I recommend warming these up in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before eating them. They are super-comforting warm!

xoxo