Gluten Free Carrot Pecan Muffins are the perfect homemade treat for the spring & Easter season! They’re soft, moist and filled with flavourful spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. These muffins are made with simple and natural ingredients like almond flour, carrots, eggs, coconut oil, pecans & maple syrup, so you can feel good about enjoying them!
DID YOU KNOW? Carrots are rich in beta carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A. This nutrient promotes good vision and is important for growth, development, and immune function.
However, beta-carotene is a fat soluble nutrient that needs to be coated in fat for greatest absorption. In addition, the absorption rate is better (up to 6.5-fold) if the carrots are cooked vs. raw.
Lastly, opt for whole carrots vs. baby carrots. Baby carrots are misshapen mature carrots that have been shaved down to a smaller more uniform size. The outer part that’s thrown away is much more nutritious than the inner core. The greatest concentration of nutrients is in the skin and the tissue right below it. When you remove the outer portion of the carrots, you also remove on-third of its phytonutrients.
So, to get the most health benefits from carrots, buy them whole then cook (sauté, steam, bake) them in a high-quality fat like avocado oil, coconut oil or olive oil.
Boost your beta-carotene intake by adding carrots to your homemade healthy treats. Try these yummy Carrot Pecan Muffins. They’re perfect for the Easter and Spring season!
What you need for Gluten Free Carrot Pecan Muffins:
Gluten Free Carrot Pecan Muffins are the perfect homemade treat for the spring & Easter season! They're soft, moist and filled with flavourful spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. These muffins are made with simple and natural ingredients like almond flour, carrots, eggs, coconut oil, pecans & maple syrup, so you can feel good about enjoying them!
1cupfinely shredded carrots, I used a food processor for this
1/2cupchopped pecans
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F and place liners in muffin tray.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
Mix in eggs, oil, and maple syrup.
Stir in the shredded carrots and chopped pecans.
Distribute batter evenly in the muffin tray.
Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool before removing from tin. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or store in the freezer for longer.
Notes
TIME SAVER TIP: Use a food processor for steps 2 & 3, if you have one.
Double Chocolate Banana Muffins are delicious & bursting with rich chocolate flavour! These healthy paleo muffins are free of gluten & dairy and packed with all the good stuff, including quality protein and healthy fats. Even better, they’re naturally sweetened with ripe bananas, so they’ll keep you on track with your health and weight loss goals.
If you love my Chocolate Chunk Banana Muffins then I’m about to make your palate explode with this spin on one of my most popular recipes to date!
I’ve upped the flavour on these muffins by adding more rich chocolate flavour plus an optional crumble that can be used on top.
These muffins are a great breakfast option on days when you’re running out the door. They also make for a delicious healthy snack or treat.
Let me know your thoughts on this recipe. I hope you enjoy them as much as my boyfriend does 🙂
TIP: Make a batch and store them in the freezer. Simply grab one whenever you need quick fuel…They thaw out within 10-15 minutes. If you plan to eat the batch within a week, they can be stored in the fridge.
What you need for Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
Eggs*
Coconut oil
Bananas
Honey or maple syrup (optional) Coconut flour Almond flour Cacao or cocoa powder
Baking powder
Dark chocolate chips
*Do you have an allergy or intolerance to eggs? Use one of the egg substitutes in the recipe notes below.
Want more delicious & wholesome muffin recipes? Then you’ve got to try these …
Double Chocolate Banana Muffins are delicious & bursting with rich chocolate flavour! These healthy paleo muffins are free of gluten & dairy and packed with all the good stuff, including quality protein and healthy fats. Even better, they’re naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and only a tiny amount of extra sweetener, so they’ll keep you on track with your health and weight loss goals.
Beat eggs in bowl, mash bananas with a fork on a plate, then add all wet ingredients together and mix thoroughly.
Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl then add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and continue to mix until a thick smooth batter is formed. (Note: Steps 2 & 3 can be done using a food processor to make things easier.)
Add chocolate chips to batter and mix in with a spatula.
Optional step for toppings: Add walnuts and coconut chips to food processor and pulse until a crumble is formed. If you don't have a food processor, put ingredients in a bag and crush with the bottom of a mug or can. Mix in dark chocolate chips.
Fill muffin tins 3/4 of the way with batter. Add toppings (optional).
Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool before removing from tin.
Notes
Substitute with 4 flax eggs or 4 chia eggs for egg free version ...
1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water (whisk until gelatinous and creamy) = 1 egg
1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water (Stir and allow to rest for 15 minutes) = 1 egg
Steps 2 & 3 can be done using a food processor to make things easier.
These gluten & grain free Rum Balls are the perfect way to get the party started during the holidays! Chocolate and rum come together in this recipe to make a rich and soul warming treat! Enjoy this healthy spin on rums balls any time of the year–not just the holidays.
My love for rum balls dates back to my little Jen days. My Nonna (a.k.a. Ma) use to make them for the family around Christmas time. Not sure who inspired her to make rum balls since they’re not a traditional Italian recipe, BUT I’m glad she did because they were delish!
Since my craving for rum balls is still strong, I decided to put a healthy spin on this popular treat which can be enjoyed any time of the year–not just the holidays.
Most traditional rum ball recipes are packed with low-quality and inflammatory ingredients like vanilla waffers, confectioners’ sugar and corn syrup.
Instead of using vanilla waffers, I use a combo of almond flour and shredded coconut, which creates a great gluten free base. I also kicked nasty corn syrup and confectioners’ sugar out and replaced them with a natural and pure sweetener, maple syrup.
The combination of coconut, rum and chocolate makes this a delicious treat you’ll crave all year round. Give this easy, no-bake recipe a try!
For a alcohol free and kid friendly version, omit rum and increase maple syrup to 1/2 cup.
These gluten & grain free Rum Balls are the perfect way to get the party started during the holidays! Chocolate and rum come together in this recipe to make a rich and soul warming treat! Enjoy this healthy spin on rums balls any time of the year--not just the holidays.
Want healthy chocolate chip cookies in your life? Look no further than these soft and chewy Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies! They’re gluten, grain and dairy free + perfect for those living a paleo lifestyle.
This Paleo Baking Flour from Bob’s Red Mill makes kick@$$ chocolate chip cookies! No hype or fluff here, it’s the honest truth. I’ve shared these cookies with adults + kids and the response is always the same… they absolutely love them! Yes, that’s right–kids love these cookies too!
Paleo Baking Flour is a unique blend of nut flours and root starches. The ingredients are clean and simple … almond flour, arrowroot starch, organic coconut flour and tapioca flour.
My cookie tasters always say, if I didn’t tell them these cookies were free of everything that is normally in chocolate chip cookies, they would have no idea. Some may say that these cookies taste even better than traditional chocolate chip cookies, BUT I’ll let you decide for yourself 😉
Give these chewy chocolate chip cookies a try … you won’t regret it!
Want healthy chocolate chip cookies in your life? Look no further than these soft and chewy Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies! They're gluten, grain and dairy free + perfect for those living a paleo lifestyle. Paleo Baking Flour from Bob's Red Mill makes kick@$$ chocolate chip cookies!
Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a food processor or hand-mixer, mix together coconut oil and coconut sugar until smooth.
Add egg and vanilla extract and mix.
Add in flour, baking soda and salt and continue to mix until smooth batter is formed.
Fold in chocolate chips with a spatula.
Scoop onto baking sheet, about 2 tbsp or 1 ice cream scoop per cookie. Leave as is (do not flatten). Cookies will expand during baking so leave enough room around each cookie.
Bake at 350F for 12-minutes or until edges are golden. Let cool on baking sheet.
Lemon Amaretti are a delicious variation on a classic Italian almond cookie. These chewy cookies are absolutely delicious and bursting with refreshing lemon flavour! Made with simple & natural ingredients and free from refined sugar, gluten, grains & eggs.
DID YOU KNOW? Food-grade lemon essential oil can be used in a variety of recipes (from sweet treats to savory dishes) to replace lemon zest or lemon extract.
Lemon essential oil is a highly concentrated derivative of lemons that comes from cold-pressing the lemon peel and not the inner fruit. The peel is the most nutrient-dense portion of the lemon in terms of fat soluble phytonutrients.
Lately I’ve been experimenting with lemon essential oil in my smoothies and baked goods – and OMG, I’m hooked!
Lemon essential oil not only packs a flavourful punch, but it makes my food taste like I’m some kind of pro chef . The best part is – no more chipping my shellac nails on the evil zester!
Tips for incorporating lemon essential oil into recipes:
Lemon Amaretti are a delicious variation on a classic Italian almond cookie. These chewy cookies are absolutely delicious and bursting with refreshing lemon flavour! Made with simple & natural ingredients and free from refined sugar, gluten, grains & eggs.
10dropslemon essential oil (food-grade), OR zest of 1 lemon
2tspvanilla extract
1/4tspsea salt
25-30raw almonds, to top cookies
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor (or mix by hand in a bowl) until a batter forms and holds together. If batter is too moist, add more coconut flour. If batter is too crumbly, add more coconut oil.
Scoop batter with a small spoon, place on baking sheet and form into preferred shape. Leave 1-2 inches of space between cookies. Top each cookie with an almond.
Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until edges start to brown. Let cool on baking sheet. Once cooled, store cookies in airtight container.
Orange Almond Cookies are soft, chewy and a delicious variation on a classic Italian almond cookie. Made with just 5 simple & clean ingredients. These cookies are free from refined sugar and artificial sweeteners, gluten, grains & eggs.
When it comes to gluten free baking, almond flour recipes are hard to beat. This low-carb flour is an ideal option for people with IBS or following a paleo diet.
It offers all the flavor and texture of traditional baked goods, but without the grains that can cause bloating and other GI symptoms.
Almond flour recipes can also add valuable benefits to your goodies, like protein, trace minerals, and vitamins.
So, if you’re looking for a great almond flour recipe to try, I highly recommend this recipe. These cookies are not only super easy to whip up (only 5 ingredients needed!), but they’re also the perfect combination of healthy and delicious!
RECIPE NOTE: Orange is a great compliment to almond and makes these cookies extra flavourful, BUT if you prefer plain almond cookies, feel free to omit the orange zest.
Orange Almond Cookies are soft, chewy and a delicious variation on a classic Italian almond cookie. Made with just 5 simple & clean ingredients. These cookies are free from refined sugar and artificial sweeteners, gluten, grains & eggs.
Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine almond flour and baking powder in a bowl and whisk together.
Add maple syrup/honey, vanilla extract and orange zest to bowl and combine ingredients using a spoon until a sticky dough forms and holds together (add some juice from the orange if batter is too crumbly).
Scoop batter with a teaspoon and roll into a ball. Place on baking sheet (leave 1-2 inches of space between balls).
Press an almond into the top of each ball until a cookie shape is formed. For a chewy cookie, don’t flatten the dough too much.
Bake at 350F for 12-minutes or until edges start to brown. Let cool on baking sheet. Once cooled, store cookies in airtight container.
Notes
If you prefer plain almond cookies, feel free to omit the orange zest.
Keyword almond flour, dairy free, Egg free, gluten free, grain free, healthy italian recipes, honey, Italian cookies, maple syrup, orange
My mission is to help women heal their gut, lose weight and feel great through simple and delicious smoothies, whole food nutrition & healthy lifestyle habits.
