Carrot Coconut Muffins

Blogging Marathon #17
Theme: Archived Recipes Revisited & Improved


I hope you all have enjoyed this week's improved recipes from the archives.  Just in case you missed the others:
Panch Puran Mashed Potatoes
Creole Chicken

Don't forget to come back on Sunday to continue this theme, where I will be taking you to Malaysia and Latin America, via their cuisines.  Now to today's recipe.


When I started visiting the Middle Eastern enclave here in Brooklyn, the variety of flours like almond, chestnut and chickpea available at reasonable prices interested me due to their high protein content.  I started to incorporate them into my baking, which led to this muffin recipe.  I used almond flour for higher protein content & applesauce instead of butter made them lowfat.  Also, I used dried fruit to add sweetness, therefore using less sugar.  Here they are again and even healthier this time, with the use of whole wheat flour.

Don't forget to check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#17

While you can certainly buy natural, unsweetend applesauce, I prefer to make it myself.  It is not very time consuming with way more flavor than the bottled stuff at a fraction of the cost.

Applesauce

(click here for printable recipe)
Ingredients:
4 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup water



Combine apples, cinnamon, and water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, until almost all of the water has been absorbed.  Remove cinnamon sticks and mash well.  Let cool.

Lowfat Carrot Coconut Muffins

(click here for printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup raisins (I used green raisins)

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup dried fruit peel (aka tutti frutti)

1 cup port (or orange juice)

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup natural applesauce (unsweetened)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup almond flour (or any nut flour - soy flour or oat flour are also good substitutions)

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup grated carrots

1/4 cup grated coconut (use natural unsweetened coconut - not the flaked stuff)

Soak dried fruits in port (or orange juice) for at least 1/2 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Sift the flours, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl.
In a large bowl, mix sugar and egg together until well blended.
Add half of the dry ingredients.  Mix until well blended.  Add applesauce and vanilla.  Mix until well blended,
Add the rest of the dry ingredients.  Mix until well blended.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in dry fruit and coconut until thoroughly combined.  Fold in carrots.

Spray muffin cups with non-stick spray or use paper muffin cups.  You can also use silicone baking cups.
Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake for 20 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

These healthy muffins are perfect for tea time or with a glass of milk.  Just sweet enough to curb your sugar craving...but with reduced fat, calories & sugar..when compared with most muffins.  This is one muffin you can happily give your kids, without them going on a sugar high!


..linking to  Srivalli's Kids Delight hosted this month by Smitha and Zesty Palette/Cooks Joy Bake Fest, hosted this month by Resh



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Chef Mireille
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