The Breakfast Muffin: Spiced Carrot, Walnut and Date

A delicious nutrition packed breakfast or anytime muffin that is sugar, egg, gluten, dairy and oil free!

The warming spices in this muffin makes these a wonderful Holiday addition to the breakfast table or a anytime snack!

Given we are heading towards another holiday season, I thought to share with you a “Special Recipe Story”

Now, enter with me into the magical world of recipe creation and read why this recipe works without the normal baking players of sugar, eggs, oils, gluten or even dairy!

🫶🏻♾️

Once upon a nutritionist kitchen, there lay ingredients dormant and bare. She questioned to herself,

“Shall I create a muffin without gluten, sugar, dairy, eggs or oils? Do I truly dare?”

‘‘Twas a morning like no other, the day was just breaking, the wind was a howling and snow flakes gently drifted in the air.

As she sipped on her tea, she began to see….a recipe idea swirling in her mind as ingredients danced their own rhythm and rhyme…..

“Carrots and walnuts, oh yes! Cranberries and oranges, Oh my! Spices of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and ginger….oh how divine…..”

Peering over her glasses and past the island, magically the oven flicked on, the baking drawers rattled, 'POOF' flour was a sifting, while the ingredients scurried, singing ‘mise en place, mise en place’

(Uhmmm….French for ‘ingredients in place, ingredients in place!’).

All while the bowls were chorussing,

“Hurry! Hurry! Breakfast time mustn'd be late!"

With a twinkle in her eye, she donned her apron and with an attitude of 'today is the day', she hurried past the dirty dishes, shouting

“I'm on my way!”

Well, that was good fun…. 😊 and now the recipe!

The Breakfast Muffin

This jumbo muffin comes neatly packaged. Inside this muffin you will savour the flavour of oats, carrots, cranberries (or raisins), dates, mixed with shredded coconut, zested orange, chopped walnuts, whisked with something nice, like pumpkin spice! Spices of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and ginger bring a delicate aroma to this tasty muffin, then doused in orange juice. Give it all a fervent stir and pour into your favourite baking tin! Yet, that is not it! There is one more thing! Adorn it with sprinkles of walnut and coconut and voila, a breakfast muffin is born.

For those who like to know, “why this (the ingredient) works”, the answer is “trust me”. For those who need clarification, “because”. Naw, I’m just kidding!

It is the method and the ingredients that make this muffin a delicious breakfast or anytime muffin. The method is simple, mix the wet, mix the dry, combine. The individual ingredients like the chia seeds, the apple sauce and carrots help give the muffin moisture; the tapioca starch (just right and not too much) will help bind the ingredients; the dates, cranberries and orange juice help give the muffin it’s delicate sweetness and the walnuts bring crunch. The baking soda, makes the “poof” happen! The spices tickle the taste buds! However, if you desire more sweet, top the muffin with the Crumble recipe in "Regenerate Your Gut with Fiber" https://www.annaznutrition.com/post/2016/08/19/gluten-free-banana-muffins-deliciously-moist-with-a-hint-of-sweet

And oh, according to Wix Recipe Templates , I am supposed to mention that this recipe is tried and true. Yes, of course, this recipe is tried and true.

Happy Baking!

Spiced CarrotWalnut and Date Muffin

(See video below for preparation help)

Preheat Bake: 375F, Bake at 350F

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Bake Time: 35-40 minutes

Servings: 6 jumbo muffins or 12 regular

Ingredients

• 2 cups of oat flour

• 1/4 cup of tapioca flour

• 1/4 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut, plus more for topping

• 1 tbsp of ground chia

• 1 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp of ground ginger

• 1/8 tsp of ground nutmeg

• 1/8 tsp of ground clove

• 1/8 tsp of sea salt

• 1 1/2 tsp of baking soda (*see for lower sodium diets)

• 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

Wet:

• 1 cup of grated carrot

• 1/4 cup of unsweetened apple sauce

• 2 tbsp of orange zest

• 1 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice (not from concentrate or fresh squeezed)

• 2 tsp of vanilla extract

• 10 dates, pitted and soaked

• 1/3 cup of cranberries or raisins (or your choice of dried fruit)
  

Preparation

This recipe has been made using just a spatula or with a food processor. Sometimes depending on the gluten free recipe, you can’t over mix it and the air in the baked goods actually help give it extra lift when baking!

Preheat oven to 375F. Bake at 350F. Prepare muffin tins with parchment cups (6 or 12).

• soak the dates in 1/4 cup of the orange juice. Let soak for 10-15 minutes.

• peel 1-2 carrots depending on size to make one cup of grated carrot.

• zest 1-2 oranges depending on size to make 2 tbsp of orange zest.

• squeeze the oranges for the orange juice, add more oranges if using freshly squeezed or top up with Orange Juice Not From Concentrate.

• In the meanwhile, chop the walnuts (food processor, or by hand). Reserve half for the topping and half for the flour mixture.

• combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl including 1/2 of the walnuts.

• chop the dates, by hand or in a food processor (reserve the OJ for the recipe or if using a food processor, add in with the dates and chop).

• add the remaining wet ingredients with the dates. Mix well.

• add the dry ingredients to the wet and process or hand blend till well combined. Add 1 tbsp at a time more orange juice if the mixture is not the consistency of thick pancake mix.

• spoon out mixture into muffin tins

• sprinkle top with remaining walnuts and shredded coconut

• place in oven for 35-40 minutes

• insert toothpick to test for doneness; toothpick should come out clean, no stickiness.

• place muffins on a cooling rack and allow to cool before enjoying!

• muffins stored in tight container will last 3 days on counter or 2-3 weeks in freezer.

Meal/Pro Tips:

• * for lower sodium diets, you can lower the baking soda to 1/2 tsp and add 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar; the final product will be denser but will still have lots of yum! Also recommend you use small (12) muffins tins for reduced portion of sodium per muffin.

If you try this recipe please leave a comment and share your own experience in preparing the recipe.

Blessings, anna

Are you still here? Here's a bonus joke for you...

How do you spot a radical baker?

"They're always going against the grain!"

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@annaznutrition