Difficulty: 

Easy. 

Most kids will love these apple & carrot muffins that are full of healthy fats and nutrients that growing bodies need.

I’ve made these muffins gluten and dairy free, but feel free to swap out with wheat flour and cow’s yoghurt. However no one seems to notice that these ingredients are missing!

I’ve purposedly made these muffins moist so they hold together which means less crumbs to clean up.

Healthy enough for breakfast, lunchboxes or a snack these are versatile but also tasty enough for the kids to ask for more.

Ingredients

⁃ 2 large finely grated Pink Lady apples (can use any apples but Pink Ladies are sweet)
⁃ 2 medium to large finely grated carrots
⁃ 3 eggs
⁃ 2 teaspoons of real vanilla extract
⁃ 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
⁃ 1/2 a cup of mild olive oil
⁃ 1/2 cup of maple syrup
⁃ 1/2 cup coconut yoghurt
⁃ 1 and 1/2 cups White Wings plain gluten free flour
⁃ 1/2 a cup of Red Tractor flax & almond flour (available from Coles)
⁃ 2 teaspoons of baking powder
⁃ 2 pinches of sea salt
⁃ 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
⁃ Optional: 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, I taste test for sweetness and will add this if the apples are bland

Method

Finely grate carrot and apple into a large bowl, then add the wet ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients well and add into wet ingredients, mix well.

Makes 18 small, kid sized muffins. Cook at 160 Celsius (320F) fan force for 18 minutes. Skewer should come out clean, if not bake until it does.

Notes

Red Tractor flax & almond flour (available from Coles) provides a boost of dietary fibre which sadly most people don’t meet the minimum recommendations and omega 3 fats for heart and brain health, plus other beneficial compounds many kids are missing. You can substitute this ingredient with regular almond meal if it is not available in your area.

The salt and apple cider vinegar add complexity to the flavour profile, they can be omitted if you prefer. You can use any gluten free flour but I choose white wings as it is what I prefer.

By nutritionist Chrissy

Chrissy is a university qualified nutritionist who graduated with honours at La Trobe University in Melbourne. One of her favourite hobbies is to read the scientific literature on how to optimise health. When she’s not reading, writing or working she’s with her 3 children outdoors, practicing yoga, jogging or cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Chrissy has overcome some debilitating chronic health issues (low mood, adrenal fatigue, insomnia, very bad acne to name a few) with the power of nutrients and correcting gut health, at 39 she now feels better than she did in her 20’s.