Warm winter days are the best time to appreciate the beautiful countryside that we call home. Because summer temperatures are usually over 40C - in the shade - winter is when we explore! My children love a picnic. They also love special treats. For me, that means healthy. No sugar. No refined or processed. No preservatives. But food must still taste delicious. These muffins are all that. They also freeze well which means you can double the batch and keep them in the freezer for an emergency picnic!
Although non of us are gluten intolerant I find the average diet contains way too much gluten. Bread, pasta, pastries, cereals. And not to mention the fillers in foods that don't need gluten, such as yoghurt. I make sourdough bread with stoneground flour other than that we usually avoid gluten. The alternate flour options are endless and all add a variety of fats, minerals, vitamins and proteins to a meal. For these muffins the main ingredient is almonds. It is important to soak all nuts, seeds, legumes and grains. Soaking makes the nuts more readily digestable. It also deals with the enzyme inhibitors which often contribute to intolerance of a food.
So let's get baking!!
These muffins are like a dense and nutty carrot cake. Remember to plan ahead by soaking two cups of raw almonds. Prepare your muffin tray by oiling and lining with paper cupcakes - unless you use a silicon baking tray. Preheat the oven to 160 C.
RECIPE:
2 cups Almonds (soaked overnight then drained and rinsed)
3 organic eggs
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup steamed and mashed sweet potato
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon aluminimum free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice (or mixed nutmeg and ginger)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Rind of one lemon
Once the almonds are dried, grind them to flour in a food processor. Then add the organic eggs and blend for 2 - 3 minutes.
Our healthy free-range chickens eggs always give dishes a wholesome orange colour.
Add the salt and spices, honey, coconut oil, baking soda and baking powder. Then mix in quickly. Lastly and by hand stir in the mashed sweet potato, lemon rind and grated carrot. Scoop the muffin dough equally into your muffin tray and bake for about 20 minutes at 160C
My nose tells me when food is ready so I seldom go according to time. Being a health muffin these are rather dense and nutty. Once they are baked through allow them to cool enough to ice. My preferred icing was a simple dollop of macadamia nut butter.
If there are leftovers they make for great finger foods for growing children. I also like grabbing some out of the freezer when we travel. But for today they will be gobbled up for our special Karoo picnic. These are best served with a flask of chai tea, a good dose of winter sunshine and plenty of children's laughter!
