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gluten free and dairy free, Bet you can't have just one!
I love carrots, they remind me of a hot summer days' snack. They have such a great cool crunch, and dipping them in hummus is probably my favourite way to eat them. I love how versatile they are.
Along with their versatility, carrots are also very nutritious. They are rich in beta- carotene, which is a plant pigment that gets converted in your body into Vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for many functions in the body. In particular protecting the mucous membranes of the immune system, maintaining vision and for healthy skin cell production. To get more of these carotenoid pigments in your diet, it is best to "eat a rainbow". Or in other words, eat meals with a wide variety of colour. Some great sources of Vitamin A are: yams, kale, spinach, mango, oranges, cantaloupe, red and yellow peppers, pumpkin, egg yolks.
This carrot muffin recipe is gluten free, dairy free and vegan! They are so moist and chewy, it will be hard to keep them around longer than one day!
Just a couple notes to begin**
1. Make sure to use the finest grater you have, I accidentally grated them on the side where you normally grate cheese. They still turned out "grate" (see what I did there) but it does give them a slightly different texture.
2. Don't be afraid to keep them in the oven a little longer if needed, use a toothpick to check if they are cooked inside - there will be a little moisture because of the nature of the flours used.
3. I also made this delicious coconut whip cream! instructions below
Ingredients
1 1/2 batches of flax eggs (or 1 egg)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup unsweetened oat milk
1 heaping cup (packed) grated carrot
1 grated apple
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 cup Almond flour
1/4 cup Coconut flour
Raw walnuts or almonds for topping
Instructions
preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Prepare flax eggs (or 1 egg) in a large mixing bowl
Prepare muffin tin with coconut oil
Add maple syrup, olive oil and whisk into the flax eggs (or egg)
Add brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and whisk to combine.
Add oat milk
Add grated carrots, apple and oats, then the almond / coconut flour, combine well
Fill the muffin tins to the top with the batter, then add walnuts or nuts of your choice on top!
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean
Coconut whip cream
take a chilled can of coconut milk (full fat) out of refrigerator and scoop out the top thick part into a blender
with a hand hand mixer (works best) whisk until smooth and fluffy
NOTES: can get a little clumpy but keep whisking, also if you find the cream too thick just add a bit of the coconut milk from the can (very little)