RECIPE ~ Orange Zucchini Muffins with Walnuts & Carob Chips

A sweet and healthy treat with a medley of flavours and energizing ingredients.

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp alum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg or allspice
1/2 tsp ground anise or fennel
~ ~ ~
1 egg
3/4 cup brown rice syrup
juice and grated rind of 1 orange
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 small zucchini)
1/2 cup applesauce (or 3/4 of an apple, grated)
1/2 cup walnuts pieces
1/2 cup naturally sweetened carob chips

In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices.

In a large bowl, beat egg until light and fluffy (for a vegan muffin, replace egg with 1/4 water mixed with 2 tsp ground flax). Add brown rice syrup, and continue beating until well blended. Stir in juice, grated rind, oil, vanilla, zucchini, applesauce, nuts and carob chips. Stir in sifted ingredients. Spoon batter into a lightly greased or lined muffin tin. You can also make a loaf, in which case pour into a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

Bake at 375F for 25 minutes, or until muffins test done. If making a loaf, bake 45 minutes or til done. Remove from pans, and cool. Makes 1 dozen muffins or 1 loaf.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS choose wheat, oat, rice and/or quinoa flours
PITTAS choose wheat, spelt, barley and/or oat flours; sweeten with maple syrup; replace walnuts with sunflower seeds
KAPHAS choose oat, barley, rye, and/or quinoa flour; reduce salt and oil by half; replace rice syrup with fruit juice concentrate; replace walnuts with sunflower seeds