Carrot Zucchini Mini Muffins: gluten free, sugar free, veggie loaded muffins. Deliciously moist two bite muffins with juicy golden raisins, maple syrup and cinnamon to add their flavor.
I am just the happiest girl when I see a recipe for sweet treats made with ingredients that are good and good for you. I jump on the train and ride it all the way to destination. This was the case with these sugar free, gluten free, veggie loaded muffins, found on a cookbook I rented from the Edmonton Public Library some time ago. The cookbook is from Giada De Laurentiis "Giada's Feel Good Food".
When we have some time to relax on the couch together, Loreto's and mine favorite channel to watch is the Food Network, followed recently by Gusto Tv. We unwind from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, following the chefs in their kitchen and dreaming of a day when we could be a part of what they do. As for Giada, her Italian heritage makes her food and cooking style close to me. Plus, long time ago, my step son Joel had a "crush" on her and that made her part of our family, even though she did not know it 😉 .
Carrot Zucchini Muffins? Oh yes!
I happened to have all the ingredients and an urge to make healthier muffins for our breakfast or snack. Carrots and zucchini were from Loreto's parents garden; the egg, organic from a free-run happy chicken and bought at our local Farmers Market; the maple syrup, a beautiful chamomile blossom flavor found at Duchess Provisions; the safflower oil, an organic golden jewel bought at Planet Organic. In addition to these wonderful ingredients: plump, juicy golden raisins, aluminum free baking power and soda, cinnamon, salt, and a mix of almond flour and brown rice flour, my favorite gluten-free flours.
These Carrot Zucchini Mini Muffins are gluten free, sugar free, and loaded with veggies and dried fruit. Deliciously moist, with carrots, zucchini, juicy golden raisins, maple syrup and cinnamon. They are easy and super fast to make, I had leftover grated carrots and zucchini, so I squeezed them, packed them in a zip lock bag and put in the freezer for the next time I want to make these mini muffins.
Upon taking them out of the oven, you're hit with scents of cinnamon, maple and that so familiar fresh baked aroma. You bite into them and the moistness is prevalent, the carrots offering that earthy sweetness, the zucchini disappearing in flavor just adding a smooth velvet texture to the interior of the muffin. Visually, you are reminded of the healthiness of these muffins with the colors of the carrots and zucchini on the backdrop canvas of the baked batter. For breakfast they are the perfect start to a great day, even a grab and go snack for kids and adults. If you want to kick them up a notch you could ice them and serve them as a wonderful healthy dessert.
Enjoy!
Song of the day: "Stand By Me" by Oasis. I liked them, too bad for the love/hate relationship of these two talented brothers.
PrintGiada’s Carrot Zucchini Mini Muffins [G.F.]
Recipe found on: "Giada's Feel Good Food", by Giada de Laurentiis
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 mini muffins 1x
Ingredients
- ½ cup almond flour
- 2 Tbsp brown rice flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
- 3 Tbsp safflower oil
- 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ¼ cup grated carrot
- ¼ cup grated zucchini
- ¼ cup golden raisins
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a 12 mini muffin cups with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, brown rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the oil, maple syrup, and egg.
- Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
- Mix in the carrots, zucchini and raisins.
- Using a teaspoon, fill the prepared muffin cups three-quarters full with the batter.
- Bake until light golden, about 15 minutes.
- Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
We have for you a lovely recipe for a vegan muffin:
I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.
Redawna says
I just took the rest of the garden off and have everything needed to make these. I love that they are a small batch recipe. Plus I like the idea of freezing shredded zucchini and carrots. I usually freeze all my extra zucchini but will do a few batches with carrots as well so I can quickly make a batch of these.
Thanks Redawna, I'm sure you're going to like these healthy but succulent mini muffins! I used a bigger muffin tin and cups, so I had 8 muffins instead of 12. Me too, I like that it makes for a smaller batch, and one that goes pretty fast, 2 bites and they're gone 🙂 .
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
I love healthier baked good, especially when they look this good! Typically I avoid muffins unless I make 'em myself and can control what's in them. Love that these are made with maple syrup. Bet they are so moist form all the veg.
Hubby and I love to watch Gusto too. So relaxing to watch after unwinding from a long day 🙂
Yes, that's what we do, we relax and watch Gusto. Glad to hear we're not alone 😉 . These muffins are so moist from the veggie, and flavorful from the cinnamon and maple syrup, plus the golden raisins give that little touch. Thanks Dawn!
Balvinder says
mmm I love zucchini and carrot muffins separately but I never thought about combining the two! love this! I also love that you have made them with almond meal and brown rice flour which is how I prefer to bake as well.
Thanks Balvinder, happy we share the same love for almond and brown rice flours! These mini muffins are so delicious yet so simple and healthy!