I felt it was time again for something scrumptious to eat.
This was mainly due to my own personal desire for a sweetmeat before my massage client arrived. Now, I could have settled for a cookie bought earlier but decided to bring together some healthful ingredients. It was somewhat inspired by a recipe on the packet of coconut flour. There was also the lucuma powder bought earlier this week.
Lucuma powder is a natural sweetener. It comes from an evergreen tree that grows in Peru and has successfully been cultivated in California as well. The trees grow in the Andes and can live up to 500 years. The Incas named it Inca Gold as it was so important to them as a natural source of sugar. So important is it in Peru that they honour it on both a culinary and spiritual level and have done so since ancient times
Lucuma powder comes from the dried fruits of the tree. It has a rich sweetness to it and I have read that they liken the flavour to that of maple syrup. Personally, it has a rich sweet fruitiness. Best advice is to get some and try it. Sprinkle over fruit and yoghurt and pop it into a smoothie.
Benefits; It contains Vitamin B1, B2, B3 and B5
It has an extremely low glycaemic index and can be used as a sugar substitute.
Iron, potassium, calcium and phosphorus are also to be found.
As well as naturally occurring beta carotene, fibre and carbohydrate.
Raisin Muffins
1/4 cup coconut flour
2tblsp coconut butter/oil
2tblsp coconut cream
3medium eggs
1/4tsp vanilla extract
1/4tsp baking powder
2tblsp lucuma powder
1tblsp honey
1/3 cup raisins
Pinch salt
Method
1. Melt coconut butter and mix into a bowl with coconut cream, eggs, vanilla, honey. Stir well.
2. Added coconut flour, salt and raisins and mix until it becomes a thick batter. Coconut flour rapidly thickens the mix.
3. Pop batter into muffin cases. I made 10 small buns as I had no muffin cases but I feel you would get 5 muffins from above ingredients.
4. Bake in preheated oven at 200C/380F/gas mark 5 for 15 minutes.
5. I them glazed them with a mix of coconut cream and lucuma made into a paste.
Delicious and light, wheat and dairy free and if you are a vegan take out the honey and add more lucuma or agave syrup. Taste the batter until you get it right for you.
These gorgeous buns took me 15minutes and that includes the ‘photo shoot’ bit!!
I bought my coconut flour and lucuma powder from Holland & Barrett but these ingredients are widely available online, one such site being Detox Your World
The recipe was from the Tiana Coconut Flour packet which I altered somewhat…as usual it is my take on their perfectly wonderful recipe..try either, try both and of course, I do really hope you enjoy these healthy muffins.
