Monday, April 28, 2014

Apple Raisin Carrot Cake Bites (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free)



This past weekend, I celebrated Easter with a few family members at a small, yearly get together.

I decided to be the healthy one and baked some nourishing (yet tasty) treats to bring along. I thought that even if no one else touched them, my grandmother and uncle would.


They obviously weren't beautiful, but they went to Easter lunch all the same. 

I am SUPER proud of my grandmother and my uncle, who decided to cut out gluten and sugar from their diets a month or so ago. This is a BIG step for them... they both use to eat the stuff day in and day out! Neither of them were feeling very good... my grandmother also has a skin condition that was simply getting out of hand.

Despite the fact that I had suggested gluten and sugar may be a problem years ago... they just now decided to give it a try. Oh well, better late than never!

Anyways... they both tried them, as well as a few other people. They were a hit! My grandma is still getting used to the "mouth feel" of non gluten items, but my sugary treat loving uncle was ecstatic to eat something "bread like" after leaving it behind cold turkey! Gotta love that :)



Apple Raisin Carrot Cake Bites
Makes 20 or so muffins

DRY:
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup GF oat flour (I grind my own)
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 large carrot, grated
1 small apple, grated AND diced
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 TSP baking soda
1/2 TBSP cinnamon
TSP clove
sea salt
1/2 TSP NuNaturals Stevia power **
walnuts (optional)

WET:
1 can pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1/3-1/2 cup almond milk (adjust as needed)
TSP vanilla
TSP apple cider vinegar
2 droppers full of unflavored NuNaturals Stevia **

** You could replace the Stevia with 1/3 cup honey, molasses or maple syrup. Just reduce the almond milk.


Mix together your dry ingredients, all except the apple, carrot, raisins, and walnuts if you are using them.

Crack your eggs and add them to the bowl. Also add in your pumpkin. Mix until there is no clumps left. If you need to use your almond milk, do so.



Stir in the rest of the wet ingredients. Fold in the grated and diced produce and once that is incooperated, add the raisins and optional walnuts.

The batter should be thicker than the usual muffin or cupcake batter. You may have to "spoon" in your batter into muffin tins lined with paper muffin holders (oh my gosh. Is there an actual name for those things? Total blonde moment right here.)

Bake in the oven on 375. I baked mine for around 25 minutes, but it is very important to check every 5 minutes or so after the 15 minute mark to see how there are doing.


What did you eat on Easter, if you celebrate?
What is you favorite GF treat?

Natalie

2 comments:

Unknown said...

These sound great Natalie!:) SO yummy! I love the way coconut flour and oats taste in baked goods:) Glad to hear your grandparent's success! Have a lovely day dear<3

Unknown said...

Thank you Heather!! Coconut flour is for sure my FAVORITE flour. I love all the healthy fats I'm getting, compared to empty carbs in regular flour :)

VGN