This hearty little muffin is neither graceful nor delicate. However, it is studded with apple and raisins, has lots of blood sugar stabilizing chia, and is a perfect rainy Saturday morning tea muffin. The cunning combination of flavours creates a satisfying and delicious treat.
A friend of mine yesterday was telling me about her daughter who has type 1 diabetes. I find it rather maddening that type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are both called diabetes, because they are not the same thing.
She was telling me that in type 1 diabetes, the body attacks and destroys its own islet (insulin producing) cells in the pancreas. Type 1 diabetics need to take insulin, but they also need to eat in a way that keeps their blood sugar levels as stable as possible, to prevent damage to the body caused by too high or too low blood sugar levels.
I am not diabetic, I can't relate to the challenges that type 1 diabetes must pose. But, I am sensitive to the effects of sugar and carbs on my body. If I eat a piece of bread, even if it is whole grain, without protein of some kind, I can feel my heart racing, and I can get a headache, much the same way as I would if I eat sugar (for example in the form of chocolate) on an empty stomach. I like to try to combine any sweets with protein and fat, with seeds and nuts etc. This way, there are no blood sugar spikes, no racing heart, no nausea and headache.
These muffins are nicely sweet, with their scant coconut sugar, their raisins and apples, but the effects of these sweets are carefully mitigated by the pecan, almond, coconut, and flax, and wonderfully stabilized by the cinnamon and (especially) the chia. But it is still a yummy baked good. Because sometimes you need a yummy baked good with your tea.
ingredients:
3 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
1 1/2 cup water
6 tbsp coconut sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp ceylon cinnamon
black pepper
3 tbsp chia seeds
6 tbsp flax meal
1 1/2 cup pecan meal
3/4 cup almond meal
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp coconut flour
2 cup diced apple
1/2 cup raisins
24 very very thin apple slices
coconut sugar
directions:
preheat the oven to 345
1. combine the coconut oil and warm water to melt it
2. add in the coconut sugar and apple cider vinegar
3. beat in the eggs when the mixture is cool enough
4. add the spices
5. add the flax meal and chia seeds
6. add the pecan meal and almond meal
7. add the baking soda
8. add the coconut flour
9. stir in the diced apple
10. add the raisins
11. scoop the mixture into 24 prepared muffin cups
12. top each muffin cup with a very thin apple slice and a sprinkle of coconut sugar
13. bake at 345 for 35 minutes in the upper half of the oven
Make sure you make enough, because when you put these out, your friends will sneakily eat them all by distracting you. "Look over there! Really. There really is an elephant outside your window. No, seriously. I'm not just trying to distract you! Hurry!" When you look, they will invariably pop the last muffin in their mouth, and then you will glance back after not seeing an elephant, and realize, once again, you've been had for a sucker.
