Nov. 25th 2013
(Purely Blogger, Caroline Karasik shares with us her recipe for Fruit Cake Morning Muffins + a purely elizabeth giveaway!)
Caroline Shannon-Karasik is the author of the e-book Gluten-Free for the Holidays (available everywhere e-books are sold) and forthcoming lifestyle book, The Gluten-Free Revolution. She is the creator of Sincerely Caroline, a gluten-free lifestyle site that boasts a well-balanced approach to health and fitness, and a certified health coach. Caroline lives in Pittsburgh with her husband, Dan, and four adopted cats.
I have to be honest: I’ve never tried fruit cake. And the thing is, I’m not entirely sure it’s not because of all of the horror stories that are passed around about the famous holiday bread. For as long as I can remember, the word on the street has been that the average fruit cake is bland, dry and even “better off used as a door stop,” as I recall overhearing one family friend say in my youth. Well, these muffins are nothing like the fruitcake of holidays’ past! Moist, delicious, and topped with my favorite gluten-free and vegan granola, purely elizabeth, these muffins will be a hit with holiday guests.
(gluten-free & vegan)
Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients:
vegan butter substitute, for greasing
2 flax eggs (2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 Tablespoons warm water)
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup arrowroot starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1-1/4 cups coconut palm sugar
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup almond milk
2-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 Tablespoons vegan, gluten-free granola, like purely elizabeth Cranberry Pecan Ancient Grain Granola
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin pan with butter substitute, then set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix together ground flaxseed and water, then set aside.
3. Combine next nine ingredients (brown rice flour through ground ginger) in a medium bowl, whisking to combine. Set aside.
4. In a separate large bowl, beat together the sugar, almond butter, oil, almond milk and vanilla. Add the flaxseed mixture, mixing again to combine. Slowly begin adding the flour mixture, mixing until all of flour mixture has been added and thoroughly combined. Fold in raisins, cranberries, apricots and almonds.
5. Distribute batter evenly amongst prepared muffin cups, sprinkling granola on top of each. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted through the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in pan for 5-6 minutes before transferring to a baking rack. Loosen edges of muffins with a butter knife, then move to rack to cool completely.
Want more delicious gluten-free holiday recipes??
My ebook, Gluten-Free for the Holidays has begun to hit the virtual shelves (see below for details) and I couldn’t be more excited! This e-book is my way of showing you that you can have your favorite holiday goodies and still be gluten-free. When I was diagnosed with celiac disease three years ago, it was only a few short months before the holidays were in full swing. This was an especially tough moment for me because one of the things I love most about the holidays is baking! I had no idea how to create my favorites and it took some serious trial and error to figure it out.
Well, this book takes the guesswork out of it for you! Recipes include (all are, of course, gluten-free):
Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (vegan)
Mandel Bread
Almond & Pistachio Wedding Cookies (vegan)
Grain-Free Apple Pecan Bake (vegan)
Mini Pumpkin Pie Cups (grain-free and vegan)
Faux Hard Cider (naturally vegan)
Chocolate Chip Coffee Bread
Mulled Wine Granitas (naturally vegan)
Peanut Butter & Jelly Oat Bars (vegan)
The e-book also includes tips for choosing gluten-free alcohol and DIY gift ideas that are an absolute cinch to make at home. Oh, and it has links to how-to videos and FIVE BONUS recipes that you can access right here on the site (but you’ll need the top-secret password)! The e-book will be available wherever e-books are sold, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iBook.
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00GLZ2YFM
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/17MXAcQ
iBooks: Search “Gluten-Free for the Holidays” in the free app
And now for the GIVEAWAY!
I’m giving away:
3 bags of purely elizabeth Ancient Grain Granola
2 bags of purely elizabeth’s NEW Ancient Grain Oatmeal and Hot Cereal
2 boxes of purely elizabeth Cookies (Chocolate Chip + Oatmeal Cherry Chocolate Chip)
Coupons for purely elizabeth goodies!
>> Click here to enter to win! It will only take a minute! All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST, Tuesday, November 26th.
Read article here –
Fruit Cake Morning Muffins + A Giveaway