Nutrient-Packed Carrot Muffins
Prep. Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Servings
16 muffins
Difficulty
Challenging
Soy-Free
These carrot and tahini muffins are hands down my favorite treat to make for kids. They’re not only healthy and packed with nutrients, but they also disappear faster than I can bake them! The best part? Even the pickiest little eaters can’t get enough. They’re super easy to whip up and bake in no time – perfect for a quick, delicious snack everyone will enjoy!
Ingredients
-dry ingredients-
200g (7oz) spelt flour
70g (2.5oz) almond flour
80g (2.8oz) all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
-wet ingredients-
3 Medium carrots, peeled & grated
120g (6oz) tahini
80ml (3oz) coconut oil
1/2 cup apple sauce, unsweetened
1 tbsp apple vinegar
240g (8oz) maple syrup
5 fl.oz (150ml) protein-rich milk + 1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 1 tbsp vinegar (for a soy-free result, use a soy-free milk)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F/170C.
Line a muffin pan with paper or silicone cups. You'll need about 12-15 cups, depending how much batter you'll be pouring into each.
In a food processor, thinly shred the carrots.
To a mixing bowl, add: tahini, oil, apple sauce and maple syrup. Mix well until smooth.
To a measuring cup, pour protein-rich plant-based milk and flaxseed meal, and mix well for 30 seconds. Add vinegar, and mix for another 30 seconds, until texture thickens.
Pour the milk/flaxseed mixture to the 1st bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
In a separate large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.
***Important: The baking soda and the vinegar create a chemical reaction (acid-base) that is vital for the baking process. As soon as these ingredients come together, the reaction begins, so it is critical to move quickly once you combine the "wets" and the "dries" contents of the 2 bowls. Also, make sure your oven is at the desired temperature at this point***
Combine the contents of the 2 bowls. Mix well and immediately pour the batter to about 3/4 height of each paper cup.
Place the muffin pans in the hot oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. The muffins will be ready when soft but steady by touch. Be careful not to over bake them.
Let them cool (out of the oven). Serve warm or cold with coffee or tea.
Keep refrigerated in a sealed box for up to 4 days.
Notes
The combination of the flours has proved itself to create soft, moist and just-right texture results, and there's also added nutritional value. Having said that, there is wiggle room, if needed. You can swap the spelt flour for more all-purpose flour, or use only all-purpose flour.
Maple syrup can be substituted with brown sugar (but reduce to 3/4 cup).
Coconut oil can be substituted with vegan butter or vegetable oil.
The Latest Bite
Wonderful Parsley Salad
I usually buy parsley with the idea that I’ll use “just a little” in a recipe, and then I’m left with a big bunch staring at me from the fridge. This salad is my solution. Instead of letting those greens wilt away, I chop the whole thing and make it the main event. It’s fresh, full of flavor, and takes almost no effort.
The best part is how forgiving it is. Walnuts give it crunch, but almonds or pecans work if that’s what’s in the pantry. Cheese adds creaminess and the dressing is quick to whip together with what we usually have on hand, and it makes the parsley feel less like “just herbs” and more like a real salad.
This isn’t a kid-friendly dish in our house (the parsley is just too “green” for them), but it works great for the adults. I’ll make it at home when dinner needs something light on the side, or pack it into a container when we’re traveling in an RV and want an easy salad to balance out heartier meals. Since it’s dairy-free and plant-based, it holds up well for hours on the road without the stress of refrigeration worries you get with mayo-based dressings.
It’s fast, flexible, and keeps parsley from going to waste—a little grown-up salad that travels well.