Cranberry Cinnamon Apple Tahini Muffins

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Spring into summer with a mouthful of yum! My cranberry cinnamon apple muffins are packed full of flavor and the nutrients you need to combat the rising temperatures.

Cranberries are considered sour and astringent (or drying) in taste, heating in energy and pungent in post-digestive effect. These qualities typically increase Vata (dryness), Kapha (heaviness and moisture) and Pitta (heat). However, due to the special blood-cleansing and infection-fighting qualities of cranberries, they are considered Pitta-balancing.

Pitta dosha represents the meeting of two of the five elements: fire as mediated by water. For the summer season, the other elements, earth, air and space (or ether) take a backseat to fire for many individuals with higher amounts of the element in their natural constitutions. Accordingly, as summer ratchets up the heat index, as it does the fire element, in the universe, and in our individual bodies. We all have some amount of the fire element, however, usually one or two elements predominate, and if fire is on the top of your list (or your loved ones’), you make notice a few uncomfortable shifts in the summer season such as increased irritability, inability to sleep, skin rashes and heartburn.

To quell Pitta, you can emphasize sweet tastes in your diet as this taste is strengthening, nutritive, energizing, tonic, and soothing to the mind. In fact, the sweet taste is often used to enhance clarity and awareness in spiritual realms. It also relieves thirst, soothes burning sensations, and has a sustained cooling effect on the body.

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Instructions

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES I COOK TIME: 25 MINUTES

YIELD: 12 muffins

MUFFIN Ingredients:

  • 2 cups oat flour

  • 1 tablespoon baking soda

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom 

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar 

  • 1 1/2 cup almond milk 

  • 1/2 cup tahini 

  • 1/3 cup coconut oil 

  • 1 egg

Muffin Glaze Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup thick tahini

  • 2 tbsp softened non-dairy butter or coconut oil

  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Prep Instructions:

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  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

  2. In a large bowl, combine the oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, and brown sugar with a whisk until all of the ingredients are incorporated into one another. In another bowl, whisk the almond milk, tahini, coconut oil and egg. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apple and cranberries.

  3. Coat muffin cups with cooking spray or use paper liners; fill two-thirds full with batter.

  4. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

  5. While muffins are cooking, combine the tahini, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract into a blender and mix to blend.

  6. Once muffins are done, let them cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks and topping with maple tahini glaze.

Stephanie Wright