Morning Glory Muffins (Paleo)

I saw this recipe ages ago, and while I was intrigued, I was also totally skeptical…a delicious baked good without butter or oil or flour???  So when I was doing some cooking for a paleo-eating friend of mine, it was the perfect excuse to try out these muffins, and holy delicious, Batman!  These are awesome!  They’re moist and tender and slightly sweet and nutty and kind of taste like carrot cake with little bursts of tart cranberry!  I think I’m going to have to make another batch since I gave all the first batch away.  So if you’re skeptical about the whole paleo thing, or you’re following a paleo and/or gluten-free diet, or just looking for something delicious and little different, I highly recommend trying these muffins!!

These muffins use sweet potato.  Since I was lazy, I microwaved mine (stab with a fork all over, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 5 minutes, or until tender.  If you’ve got time to spend anyway, roasting them in the oven would work too (make extra and stuff them with deliciousness for your dinner!).  I’ve never used canned sweet potato but that might work as well, or substitute pumpkin if you’re feeling pumpkin-y.

Morning Glory Muffins (Paleo)

Makes about 14 (I filled a dozen muffins all the way to the top and put the remaining batter in a mini-loaf pan)

Adapted from Carrots ‘n’ Cake

• 1 1/2 cups almond meal/flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup mashed sweet potato (about 2 medium sized)
• 1 cup shredded coconut (I used sweetened because that’s what I have on hand)
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries (or raisins)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot (one large carrot)
• 1/2 cup shredded zucchini (1/2 large zucchini), squeeze out excess liquid
• 1/3 cup honey
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease very well with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk together.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin, filling all the way to the top since they don’t rise much.  Bake for 25-28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few crumbs clinging on is fine).  Serve warm or room temperature, but store in an airtight container in the fridge (with the high moisture content, these probably won’t last very long at room temperature).  Enjoy!