Healthyish Spiced Carrot Muffins

 

Gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan baking is awesome. No, really, it’s awesome. Or – at least – it CAN be awesome when executed by experienced gluten-free, vegan chefs. You know what else is awesome? Just enjoying your freaking muffin without the guilt, calorie counting or carb worries.

Shoot for that old 80/20 rule. Eat healthfully and without overindulgence 80% of the time, and completely with love for food and abandon the other 20% of the time. If you can find treat recipes you love (like this one) that happen to include healthy perks, bonus!

Here’s a great compromise between your practical side and your secretly-eats-ice-cream-standing-up-in-front-of-the-freezer side. This muffin recipe is moist like a cakey bakery muffin, with a fraction of the sugar and calories, and tons more fiber.  It tastes like a treat and it is a treat.  It just isn’t going to give you a coronary.  My kids and I have made this recipe time after time after time after time, and it always tastes fantastic.

Kids can help combine dry ingredients, beat wet ingredients, and grate the carrots on a box grater! And they are always up for some taste testing, in my experience.

 

SPICED CARROT MUFFINS

 

yields 12

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (white will also do – no judgement here!)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt (I recommend a higher fat yogurt, like a balkan, not a 0%)
• 4 tbsp. coconut oil or butter, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 3 carrots, shredded (about 2 to 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, ground
• 1/2 tsp. ginger, fresh grated (or 1/4 tsp. if using dried)

 

How To

 

1. Line or lightly grease muffin tin and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In large bowl, stir flour, sugar, powder, soda, salt & spices (except ginger if using fresh).
3. In separate bowl, whisk egg, yogurt, oil, vanilla and fresh ginger.
4. Add wet mix to dry mix and stir just until combined.
5. Fold carrots into batter.
6. Spoon into muffin tin and bake 18-20 minutes.