Recipe: Spiced Carrot & Apple Mini Muffins (GF, Vegan)

Expect to see a lot of apple recipes coming from me over the next few months. Maybe it’s because I was born in October or maybe it’s because fall is my favorite time of year, but I get all sorts of excited when apple season returns. Ditto for pumpkins and winter squashes, but that’s a different post. Today we’re talking apples, and these little carrot-apple muffins are too good not to share. Naturally sweet and extremely delicious, they’re an ideal breakfast, snack or after dinner dessert for kids (and adults) of all ages. Plus, they’re super healthy. I mean…Super. Healthy.

Note: These muffins can easily be made with regular all-purpose flour, or whole-wheat pastry flour; 2 lightly beaten eggs instead of flax eggs and regular sugar instead of turbinado. I just like to experiment with alternative and allergen-free baking, even though we are not gluten-free or vegan, as a way to include those with dietary restrictions into my recipes.

Spiced Carrot & Apple Mini Muffins

9 months + up

Makes approx. 30 mini muffins

• 2 flax eggs (see below)
• 1 ¼ cup all purpose gluten-free flour blend*
• 1/4 cup gluten-free oats
• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 red apples, grated (I like fuji, gala, or pink lady)
• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated

To make flax eggs, combine 6 tablespoons of water to 2 tablespoons of flax meal. Stir well and place in the fridge to set for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 and line a mini muffin pan with liners or spray with cooking spray.

Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together applesauce, oil, vanilla and flax egg mixture. Slowly stir the wet ingredients into dry ingredients, fold in the grated apples and carrots. Place 1 tablespoon of batter into muffin pans. Bake for 25 minutes or until center comes out dry on a toothpick. Cool and enjoy!

* King Arthur makes a great multi-purpose flour blend that I have found the most successful when it comes to gluten-free baking. If you’d like to make your own, use a mix of white and brown rice with equal parts tapioca starch and potato starch.