Gluten Free Carrot Muffins

I went to the hair salon today...funny how great you feel after getting your hair "done" :)  But I'm feeling pretty great these days anyway... my son is sleeping through the night regularly, I have started taking more of my vitamins now that I am done with breastfeeding, and we have been eating so good!  I was reading People Style Watch at the salon and they had a list of about 10 things you could be doing to be healthy and fit for the summer.  Not that I ever take health advice from a style magazine but the funny thing was that I actually could say that I am doing all of the things on their list for the first time in my life.

So this recipe came from my friend Leslie Ann's blog and originated with Elana's Pantry (fantastic site for Gluten Free cooking - mostly great baking.)  Leslie Ann changed it a bit and I made my own changes from there.  These muffins are so delicious!  No one would guess they are gluten free and really good for you.  We usually double the recipe and freeze them for future breakfasts.

Makes 12-14 muffins.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup organic coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 6 organic eggs
• 1/2 cup organic coconut oil
• 2 Tablespoons organic blackstrap molasses
• 6 Tablespoons honey (4 Tablespoons make 1/4 cup)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups shredded organic carrots
• 4-5 dates, cut into small pieces (after cutting, rinse them in water to keep them from sticking)
• 1/4 cup pecan pieces (or walnuts)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350.  Combine coconut flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir until blended
2. In a separate large bowl combine the eggs, coconut oil, molasses, honey, and vanilla.  (Depending on the time of year or the temperature of your eggs the coconut oil may solidify.  We usually stick the bowl in the oven for a minute or two so it will become liquid.)
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and blend.  Then fold in shredded carrots, dates, and nuts.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until the top of the muffins are dry and hold their shape when you press them lightly.  Serve warm with butter or cream cheese.

Comments on Ingredients:

• Blackstrap molasses is a sweetener that is actually good for you.  It contains iron, calcium, copper, manganese, potassium, and magnesium.
• Dates are not only fantastic to use to sweeten things up but they are really good for you and especially good for me!  The fruit is very rich in antioxidant flavonoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants have the ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen free radicals.  Zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions