For the past few years, I’ve been volunteering as a dog-walker at a local shelter. Sadly, due to a time conflict this semester, I’ve given up that job. But I feel incomplete if I’m not helping out somewhere. Therefore, last week, I signed up to volunteer at a nursing home for an hour each week. It’s not much, but I’m a big believer in the idea that every little bit– and every little person– can make a HUGE difference in this world.
On my first day, I didn’t want to show up empty-handed; I thought I’d bring along a baked-good. It’s no secret that the elderly loooooooove sweets! But many have diabetes or another condition that makes eating sugar a no-no. I remember a giant jar of Sweet-and-Low being a permanent fixture on the kitchen table at my grandparents’ house. And my grandpa, with his raging sweet-tooth, ate sugar-free Jello every night, grumbling that it was a sorry replacement for the ice cream he once loved.
I don’t think that the nursing-home staff would’ve been too thrilled with me had I brought along these:
Hey, at least they’re healthy sugar cookies.
Hello sugar overload!
But I was hesitant to use Sweet-n-Low or Splenda in my baked-goods, because I don’t trust the stuff; I don’t know if I believe that something with so many chemicals can truly be safe to consume. Instead, I used stevia, and the results were terrific!
In an Easter-y mood, I decided that carrot cake muffins were in order. Wanting to create my own recipe (I hate following recipes), I basically threw a bunch of yummy-sounding ingredients into a bowl and hoped for the best! The first “tester” batch didn’t rise very well, but adding more egg replacer fixed that right up. All the subsequent batches came out of the oven boasting muffins that were plump, moist, and aromatic (made the house smell like Christmas!).
24-Carrot Cake Muffins
(Makes 9 regular muffins or 12 small)
- 180 grams whole wheat pastry flour (others have said plain whole wheat works) (about 1 and 1/2 cups)
- 100 grams shredded carrot (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 teaspoon Ener-G egg replacer (for one egg) (or use a flax “egg”)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 2/3 containers applesauce (the 1/2-cup containers), or about 160 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons liquid (I actually just used water, because I was too lazy, at the moment, to open a new milk LOL)
- Up to 1/2 cup sugar or around 1/4 cup agave (As stated in the above commentary, I used stevia, which is stronger, so I used less. I used 5, but I’d recommend 8-10 NuNaturals packets.)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
Optional add-ins: raisins, shredded coconut, walnuts, pineapple tidbits (If you add pineapple, you’ll probably want to decrease the applesauce or liquid a bit.)
Procedure:
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Mix dry ingredients, then add the carrot and wet ingredients.
- Mix again, until just combined (with muffin batter, it’s important to not overmix).
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes (depending on your oven and on how soft you like your muffins. I’m silly and like mine a little undercooked and gooey!)
- Eat up! Whatever I’m not planning on eating within two days, I like to freeze. That way the muffins stay fresh.
These muffins tasted delicious! The nursing-home residents absolutely loved them, and my family, roommate, and I have been devouring the leftovers (I made extra batches and froze them).
Nutrition Information:
By (very!) popular request, I’m editing this post to include nutrition info.
Calories: 60
Protein: 1.5g
Fat: 0g
Double for single lady cakes, which are also double the size.
(Nutrition Info Disclaimer)
How to eat a Muffin:
- Mommy Dearest likes to “ice” her muffins with vegan butter (Smart Balance Light)
- The roommie tops her muffins with cream cheese (vegans can use Tofutti).
- I think they taste superb as-is.
- If you want to be really decadent, frost the muffins with vanilla or cream cheese frosting and call them “cupcakes”!
- Top the muffins with Cheesecake Mousse!
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Oh, boy, what a great recipe – can’t wait to make!
you are so anorexic. stevia? water? applesauce? what is the point of baking.
Bad attitude? Nothing nice to say? What’s the point of commenting?
Also, anorexic means not eating at all…dumb ass. Plus, plenty of people eat like this…it’s called healthier eating. Facepalm.
While I agree that the original comment was uncalled for and rude, I’d like to clarify that anorexia doesn’t imply that the person does not eat at all. What tends to happen is that people reduce their food intake significantly, thereby entering a state of starvation. Frequently, food intake becomes regimented or obsessional with aspects such as eating at particular times, off particular plates and cutting in particular ways causing intense anxiety.
People with anorexia often do have an interest in baking (c.f. the Minnesota Keyes study on the biological effects of starvation for some research into how humans become obsessed with food when they are denied or deny themselves sufficient food for their body to function). Many people with anorexia do collect recipes and sometimes make full-fat, full-calorie things for friends and family, sometimes try to make very low calorie versions of things for themselves.
Sorry for the essay – just wanted to clarify the point about anorexics eating, because I know of people who’ve been told that they aren’t ill by someone who sees them eating a low fat yoghurt, when that low fat yoghurt may be one of the few things they will eat that day… and may compensate for with some of the other aspects of anorexia such as purging or over exercise.
2 more points … which relate to my own experience of living with anorexia since I was 10. Firstly, although the poster phrased her remarks rudely, remember that anorexia is an illness and that it is possible to deny that someone has anorexia without seeming to disparage those people who do suffer from this illness. We will never be rid of the stigma surrounding mental health issues as long as the diagnosis is either used as a trivialising way to belittle someone’s excellent blog (as in the original comment) or (as in the reactions) as though that illness is an awful slur on someone’s character.
Secondly, and more positively, I have made a few recipes from this site recently. The ability to make cakes that feel “safe” for me (because they are sugar and/or fat free) has enabled me actually to taste my own baking for the first time in years. I’ve had a few mouthfuls of cake! It may be a cake from a blog that caters for restricted diets, but surely this is a positive step in learning once again to treat myself and to remember my enjoyment of different foods.
Ann, before you make mean judgements, you might want to read the whole post. I explain very clearly my reasoning for making the cupcakes so diet-friendly.
I’ve been eyeing these for a while and my health food store finally started carrying stevia so I could actually try them! How much stevia (powder or liquid?) did you use?
Katie, do you think flax eggs could work for this? I don’t have any egg replacer 🙂
Katie, I find that 1/2 cup sugar for every two cups of flour works great in muffin recipes. I don’t have a huge sweet tooth but I do like muffins to be sweet so I find that this works well for my tastes. However, my little sister likes her muffins much, much sweeter so it doesn’t work for everyone.
It sounds like you are more like I am when it comes to sugar. Did you find the stevia had an aftertaste? I’m hesitant to use it in baking because of the aftertaste.
I made your carrot cake muffins yesterday and they were fantastic! Thanks for the recipe!
I think this is the close up! I hope so, would love the scale!
Close up photo?
Can I just tell you how wonderful these were? They got gobbled up by my not-always-so-healthful family and I’m gonna get right on making more! I used 1/4 cup Agave Nectar with stellar results. Thanks so much for the recipe!