Healthier Carrot "Cake" Muffins

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Happy Easter ya'll! In celebration of Easter I thought I would make something carrot-y and share.  I whipped up these muffins this morning and they are so tasty.  Not only are they outrageously moist but they have all the tradition flavors of carrot cake, but use healthier ingredients.  I was inspired by The Fountain Avenue Kitchen and decided to adapt her recipe a bit further to my pantry and taste.


Healthier Carrot "Cake" Muffins

  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour (or wwheat pastry or gluten free mix)
  • 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • 1 cup milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 inch piece crystallized ginger, minced
  • 1 1/2 cup carrots grated (I used the pulp from the Sweetheart Juice)
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple
  • 1/2 cup raisins *see note
  • turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw) for sprinkling (optional)

  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Combine the first seven ingredients and whisk to get rid of any lumps.
  • Combine the egg, oil, milk, and vanilla extract in a seperate bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Pour wet ingredients into the dry ones and combine until moist.
  • Stir in the crystallized ginger.
  • Divide mixture into greased muffin pan (no liners).
  • If using the sugar in the raw, sprinkle the tops before baking (about 1/4 tsp per muffin)
  • Bake 35-40 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.
Notes:
  • I pulsed my raisins in the food processor for a minute until they were a paste because I am not a fan of the texture of them whole.  You could pulse them like I did or leave them whole.
Enjoy and Happy Easter!

Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

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I love sweet potatoes because they are filling, nutritious, and can go sweet or savory.  I love anything that is southwest or tex-mex influenced and this definitely fits the bill.


Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 3 chipotle peppers in adobo, seeds removed and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons red onion, minced
  • 1 15oz can black beans, drained
  • 1/2 cup corn (I used frozen that was thawed)
  • 1/4 teaspoon of oregano and garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons light sour cream
  • 1/2-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

  • Wrap sweet potatoes and foil and bake 40-60 minutes or until fork tender at 350F.
  • In a large bowl combine beans, corn, spices, onion, and sour cream.
  • Once potatoes are tender remove from the oven and set cool enough to touch.  Once you can handle the potatoes, cut them in half length wise and remove the filling.  *Be sure to leave a small ring of potato in the skin for stability when you fill them.
  • Fill the sweet potatoes with the mixture and place on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle the tops with the cheddar cheese and return to the oven.
  • Bake the potatoes uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and filling warm at 350F.
  • Serves: 4 (one half per serving)
ENJOY!

Friday Night Feast

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On Fridays I try to fancy up dinner a little bit.  Notice that I only said a little bit.  I have so much produce in my refrigerator from my large trip to Whole Foods earlier in the week that it is like shopping through my crisper drawer.  I decided to make a main dish of butternut squash flat bread with a side of marinated tomato salad and a fruit dessert of strawberry mango quinoa salad.



I found this recipe and it served as my inspiration for the flat bread.  I didn't have as much kale as the recipe called for so I used some spinach, used my own dough recipe with whole wheat flour and flax seed meal, and used a cheese blend from Trader Joe's instead of the mozzarella.

The flat bread was delicious!  The butternut squash is hearty and sweet once roasted, the greens are savory, and the crust is nutty.  I even had enough butternut squash leftover to make these butternut squash pancakes for breakfast.  It might sound odd, but when roasted butternut squash reminds me of pumpkin and could go sweet or savory.



As a side I prepared some marinated tomatoes.  They were bursting with favor and a fresh addition to our meal.  Here is how I made the Marinated Tomato Salad.


We finished the meal off with some Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Honey Lime Dressing and watched a movie.  There is nothing better than making a healthy, scrumptious meal for the one you love.

Happy Weekend!

Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

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What could look better than colorful fruit and quinoa?  Not much.  This salad is a great way to feel like you are treating yourself with something indulgent while still eating healthful.

Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Salad:
  • 3 cups strawberries, sliced
  • 1 cup mango, cubed
  • 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
  • 1 tablespoon mint, chopped
Dressing:
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted and in liquid form
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 4 tablespoons lime juice

  • Combine strawberries, quinoa, and mango in a large bowl.  Mix dressing ingredients together in a small jar or bowl.  Whisk coconut oil, honey, and lime juice until completely combined.  Pour dressing over salad mixture and combine.  Garnish with chopped mint.
  • Serves: 4-6
Enjoy!



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