Tag Archives: muffins

More Muffin Mania

My dancing dogs are barking!

The Carolina Chocolate Drops had me on my feet until 11:30 last night.

Have you heard these recent Grammy winners?  This string band puts on a great show with lots of audience interaction and shining charisma.  They play mostly old-time traditional southern string band tunes with a few modern hits thrown in.   One of the highlights of the show was Adam Matta and his beat-boxing wizardry.   Check out this mix of “Irish mouth music” and beat-box!

It was so much fun to see a big live show!  It’s been a long time, like since before we moved to Peru!

My legs might also be feeling my run yesterday, I set out for 5 miles but took a wrong turn and ended up completing 5.7!  I seem to have a habit of doing that…

FYI, yoga was delicious yesterday.  Upon returning from my run I flowed through 20 minutes of salutations with a few favorite poses thrown in at the end (Half Moon!).  The first few minutes were really distracted but after that I was able to drop into being present and enjoying what I was doing instead of being preoccupied with what else I could be doing (my main roadblock on the mat these days, when I actually get on the mat).

I promised you muffins this morning so muffins I will deliver.

Inside Out Carrot Cake Muffins

Prep

Preheat oven to 365* F

Butter and flour 6 cups of a muffin tin

Place 1 cup of plain yogurt (I used organic nonfat) to strain.

Soak 1/4 cup raisins in 1/4 cup of water for at least 15 minutes before you start in on the batter.

The Wet

  • soaked raisins and soaking water
  • 1.5 cups unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup grated carrots

Process raisins and water in a food processor for 1 minute.  Add applesauce and process for another minute.  Add egg and process until completely mixed (~15 seconds).  Pour mixture into a bowl and add grated carrots.

The Dry

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon and ginger

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.

The Filling

  • 1 cup strained yogurt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • stevia to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

To Make

  • pour dry into wet and stir just enough to mix throughly
  • put a heaping spoonful of batter into the bottom of each muffin cup
  • with a wet spoon, make an indent in each batter pile

  • fill indents with a spoonful of yogurt filling
  • top with another big dollop of batter (it may be helpful to use clean hands here the scrap the batter off the spoon and cover the filling)

Place in pre-heated oven and bake for 22 minutes.  Once out of the oven leave in tin for 5 minutes or so to cool before removing onto a cooling rack.

Filled with frosting-like goodness!

(Note: this was my second batch, where I used a flax egg instead of a real egg.  The egg produced better results so I went back to it for the post but I forgot to take a picture of the cross section.  These ones fell and were a little dense :(. )

These muffins are free of refined sugar and loaded with vitamins A and C and fiber.  They are about 175 calories a piece and are great with coffee (what isn’t?).

Have a delightful weekend!

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Filed under baking, recipes, running, yoga

Carrot Crazy

Don’t worry about me if I start to look a little orange.

But it’s all in the name of MUFFINS!

Oh yes, that is filling you see peaking out.

I’m calling this one Inside Out Carrot Cake.  Mmmmm

It still needs a little work (and I need more muffins!) so look for the recipe to be posted tomorrow morning.

I woke up with leftover grated carrots in the fridge and a hankering for gooey carrot cake

Best oats in a while.

  • 1/2 cup thick rolled oats
  • ~1/2 cup grated carrots
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • cinnamon
  • stevia
  • salt
  • homemade coconut butter disc
  • 1 T chopped walnuts & almonds

This bowl was hearty chewy deliciousness.  And super filling, I almost didn’t finish it.

Today is one of those days when I am really missing having a gym.  It’s rainy and windy and I did my best indoor workout yesterday (strength intervals, a la Core Four).  What’s a girl to do?

Yoga.

My body says, “yes, PLEASE!” but my mind says “nah, really not in the mood”.

Ironically, ever since I set my goal for February of practicing lots of yoga, my yoga-doing has significantly declined.  I think it’s due in part to ending my month at the gym a few weeks ago.  I was really dedicated to a three times a week yoga class attendance for that month and am having a challenge transitioning back into a home practice.

All I need to do is roll out the mat and commit to 20 minutes, that’s really all it will take to remind myself that I my mind wants yoga too.  Do I sound like I am trying to talk myself into it?  Well, yeah I am a little bit.

Do you practice yoga? If so, are you a dedicated class attendee or solely a solo yogi?  I think that there is deep value in each, a teacher can be invaluable and the energy you get from other students can really help you push through challenges.  It is empowering to create your own practice, be it 5 minutes or an hour, and really nice to have it available anytime you want it, no studio required.

Alright, enough talk, time for some action.  Where’s that mat.

 

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Filed under baking, breakfast, food, goals, recipes, workouts, yoga