Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins and Cashew Cream Cheese

There’s no better way to treat yo’ self than waking up to a plate of gluten-free carrot cake muffins with cashew cream cheese dressing 😋🤤✨

My morning rituals are inherently tied to what I eat to break my fast. Incorporating carrots’ mild bitter taste into my morning meal helps me start the day from a place of clarity and introspection while still feeling supported by the vegetable’s natural sweetness 🥕🥕🥕

Beta-carotene, which gives carrots their bright orange color, is metabolized into vitamin A in the presence of bile salts in the small intestine. Vitamin A pacifies Pitta, nourishes the liver, and purifies the blood. These actions improve vision, complexion of the skin, and generally reduce inflammation 👁✨👁

Muffin Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 batches flax eggs

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil

  • 1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (or finely grated apple)

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar or sucanat

  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 cup almond milk (unsweetened)

  • 1 heaping cup (packed) grated carrot

  • 2/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats

  • 1/2 cup almond meal

  • 1 heaping cup gluten-free flour

Muffin Instructions:

  1. Prepare flax eggs in a large mixing bowl and preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).

  2. Prepare muffin tin with liners or lightly grease them.

  3. To flax egg, add agave or maple syrup, coconut oil and whisk to combine.

  4. Next add applesauce, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and whisk to combine.

  5. Add almond milk and stir.

  6. Add grated carrot and stir.

  7. Add oats, almond meal, and gluten-free flour blend and stir.

  8. Divide evenly among 12 muffin tins, filling them all the way up to the top, and top with crushed walnuts (optional).

  9. Bake for 32-36 minutes, or until deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. When you press on the top it shouldn’t feel too spongey, so don’t be afraid of over baking! The GF blend just takes longer to bake.

  10. Remove from oven and let set in the pan for 15 minutes. Then flip on their sides still in the pan to let cool completely.

  11. If you try to unwrap them too quickly, they have a tendency to stick to the wrappers.

  12. Once cooled, store in a covered container or bag at room temp to keep fresh. Freeze after that to keep fresh.

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Cashew Cream Cheese Ingredients:

  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours, drained and rinsed

  • 1-2 tablespoons lime juice, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

  • 1 teaspoon cardamom

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cashew cream cheese instructions:

  1. Place the cashews, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, maple syrup, cardamom, cinnamon and vanilla extract into the bowl of a food processor.

  2. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add a tablespoon or two of water to thin the mixture as needed. 

  3. Taste test and add additional salt and/or lime juice if you like.

  4. Add any stir-ins to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped and well blended.

  5. Serve immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Stephanie Wright