Carrot and macadamia muffins

I've always been big on home-made gifts. There have been quite a few of the not so great-looking ones, like the macaroni tree I spray painted with gold colour and gave to my granny as a Christmas present (she still has it) or the wooden box I planned to make from scratch, and fill with liquorice for my dad as a Father's Day gift. I say 'planned', because dad actually ended up finishing the box himself and all I did was buy the liquorice to fill it with. The box actually ended up looking great, but I can't say I had much input on it (other than perhaps the brainstorming bit).

I've never been much of a drawer or painter either, but that hasn't stopped me from making numerous birthday, Mother's/Father's Day and Christmas cards. One of them included a round card with a cotton moustache for dad, which obviously showcased my incredible creativity at such young age ;-)

Some people, as they grow older, realise and accept that perhaps they aren't the most talented when it comes to artistic things. They give up on trying to get better at whatever it is that they've tried to master during their earlier years, and claim that 'they just can't [fill with whatever it is that you think you can't do].' I guess this was in a way the case for me too, but it never stopped me from trying to get better at things I wasn't 'talented' at. Therefore I still keep drawing, crafting and even singing...

These carrot and macadamia muffins were a home-warming gift for our friends, and I crafted a little brown bag to put them in. Fortunately I had a left-over muffin that just wouldn't fit into the bag, so I could try one myself! ;-) They are just sweet enough, wholesome and tasty - not to mention healthy!

Carrot and macadamia muffins

(makes 8)

(recipe adapted from Wholefoods)

100g whole spelt flour

35g rapadura sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 large free-range eggs

130g finely grated carrot

100g unsweetened apple sauce (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup extra-virgin coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

100g chopped macadamias

1. Preheat oven to 180C and prepare a muffin tin.

2. Mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, soda and salt. Set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, stir in the carrot, apple sauce, milk, coconut oil and vanilla. 

4. Stir half of the carrot mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the other half and stir just enough to mix everything together. Finally fold in the macadamias. 

5. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins and bake for 20-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before serving.