Do you remember that Chai Carrot Pear Sauce recipe I posted a few months ago? There was such a great response to it which made me really happy because it was soooooo tasty! You know what is even better….enjoying that sauce as is and then using it in these muffins!
With 2012 around the bend you know I will be sharing a slew of healthy recipes to keep your taste buds happy and your waistline slim. Let’s go make some muffins!
Originally (back in October) I styled these with that little ribbon because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This awareness month was originally created to promote mammography as a tool for early cancer detection. Later on the Susan B. Komen foundation further branded the issue with the pink ribbon and all kinds of charity events.
According to me, each and every month we should be aware of finding a cure. I bet that you would agree with that too.
So these muffins were made with BIG flavor and styled with awareness in mind. Together we can take action no matter what month it is, yes?
Let’s take a look at the stunning color and glow of that pear carrot sauce…
It is oh so healthy too! Nothing but sweet fruit, carrots and some spices. That’s all it takes for a healthy snack.
The cupcake liners are something kinda special too!
I love making muffins. They are perfect for Project Lunch Box. Speaking of which I have lots of new recipes coming up that you can pack to-go for work or school. Stay tuned for those.
Did I mention these muffins are gluten free, refined sugar-free and vegan? That’s a lot of bang for the buck!
What is your favorite muffin recipe? Do you like to have them for breakfast, brunch, snacks or all the time?
Do you pack them in your lunch box?
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Healthy Muffin Recipe Links
- Blueberry Lemon Muffins – Gluten Free MarlaMeridith.com
- Blueberry Oat Muffins Vegan or Not What Would Kathy Eat?
- Chocolate Vanilla Muffin Cakes – Gluten Free MarlaMeridith.com
- Orange Honey and Quinoa Muffins Le Delicieux
- The Ultimate All Inclusive Breakfast Muffins Anja’s Food 4 Thought
Gorgeous! A great choice of flavors.
Cheers,
Rosa
Oh this is just so so pretty, food stylist/photographer extraordinaire, Marla 🙂 Love the pink. And of course the muffins look amazing.
Marina, you are way to kind. Thanks and I am glad you like my latest creation!
Marla,
Your food styling and most importantly, philosophy is so addictive!! Drool-worthy muffins for sure 🙂
I keep meaning to find chai seeds, but they aren’t readily available where I shop. Time to google them and see if I can find them online. I’d love to make these muffins, they sounds fantastic. Have a good new year!
Hi Kristi! There are two different things “Chia” is a seed and “Chai” is a blend of spices & seasonings. Here is a bit more info on chai. It is traditionally an Indian tea most commonly flavored with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and pepper. These days people use the seasonings in all different combinations to flavor lots more than tea. I hope you can give it a whirl sometime. It is a fragrant, tasty and relaxing mix of ingredients.
What a lovely recipe. I gotta try making these soon for my friends who are one a Vegan & Gluten Free diet. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Yum! My son would love these and I love the ingredients – so clean!
I couldn’t eat it because I don’t eat pear. But I could replace it with apple!!! i’ll try this way and i’ll come back to tell you 😉 Thanks for the recipe and Merry (belated christmas!!!)
Yes! Applesauce will be the perfect adaptation & you will not miss a thing! Enjoy & let me know if you try them 🙂
second picture, with the orange curly thingey on top of the muffin = stunning image.
The color, the light, the reflective and flat surfaces, the tones, just everything…stunning.
Hope you’re having a blast…just got home after a 24 hour travel day. Oh, the joy. It’s cold here, too. Lol Havent felt anything this cold in a month!
Thanks Averie! It is always difficult to figure out which photo to put first in the post. I suppose you would have put #2? I was a bit conflicted on this one, but something about the mood in picture #1 grabbed and tugged at me. Edits & choices….a daily battle of love 🙂
24 hours is a crazy long travel day. Especially with a little kid in tow. Glad to hear you made it home safe and sound. Now back to the So Cal lifestyle (even though a tad chilly right now) Can’t wait to see you in 2012! xo
I am a muffin fan too. These look great!
not only did you say chai but you got me at carrot and pear. How amazing those flavors must be together. I love this!
Great recipe! However, the Breast Cancer Awareness Month wasn’t created by Komen, but by the American Cancer Society in partnership with AstraZeneca in 1985 to promote mammography as a tool for early cancer detection. The Susan G. Komen came up with the pink ribbon motif, which is a great branding/awareness idea.
Thanks so much for that information Hector. I will add to the post!
Gosh, your photography just gets prettier and prettier! I love that you combined the sauce with muffins, great call!
I just have to tell you … this post makes me so happy! The healthy food and the bright, cheery pictures… its all just a big dose of all natural JOY!
Thanks for all you do~
Amanda
Absolutely gorgeous, Marla. I am going to have to make these for the winter break going on. I even have the same liners. 😉
Shaina, I have quite the collection of liners these days. I am obsessed with finding new ones.
These are absolutely gorgeous muffins. I love the combination, and that they are vegan. Great recipe, Marla!
Thanks Cassie. I am happy these are vegan too so more people can enjoy them 🙂
While not typically being a nut and fruit/baked goods kind of girl- these look so amazing. I love the flavor combo!
And wow with the photography Marla. I mean- you really have a gift.
Heather, you just made my day. Really 🙂 Thanks for your sweetness day in and day out. xo
these look so good! Headed to pin it in a second
I liked the idea of that pear sauce and love how you’ve used it in these muffins!
Marla, these look wonderful! I love a healthy muffin! My favorite muffin has always been your basic blueberry muffin! They can be healthy, not healthy it doesn’t matter I just love them! But with the new year upon us, I am definitely sticking with healthy! I can’t wait to see what healthy recipes you have in store for us!
Now I need to check out your carrot and pear sauce, it sounds yummy!
Jennifer, it is awesome that “Healthy” can also mean decadent & filled with flavor. Certainly not bland and boring. Oh happy days! I hope you get to try these muffins. I love blueberry ones too!
How pretty are these!! And, love that they are uber healthy.
Oh, these look outstanding, Marla…so moist and flavorful. And your carrot pear sauce is amazing, too! Hope your Christmas was wonderful…and sending you wishes for a joyful new year!!!
Yes I do remember your Chai Carrot Pear Sauce recipe, loved it! And I’m loving these muffins as well.
Goodness. These muffins sound incredible. The Chai Carrot Pear sauce……swooon!!!
Beautiful Marla. Such great combination of flavors, all in a little muffin. Certainly on my to try list!
Brilliant idea! And what a perfect way to dress them with those gorgeous muffins liners. 🙂
I love the gluten free recipe ! I am always looking for new recipes that are gluten free for my father in law ! They delicious from the photos!
Love all the flavors you mixed together in these muffins, and i love your muffin liners, all for a wonderful cause.
I love this colorful recipe. I bet the flavor is just as big and bright (like you)! Happy New Year, darling!
I love the light in the 1st photo! And the flavors sound fabulous!
Those look delicious!!!! I just need to find a new muffin tin, as mine died a terrible death haha.
Love this idea Marla! And there’s that table…it makes me smile every time I see it! 😉
They sound wonderful!
These sound awesome Marla! I would love to start experimenting with different types of flours this year. I need to bookmark this recipe to try. My kids would love these in their lunchbox.
Aggie, I have so much fun experimenting with different flours. Especially the lower carb ones like almond flour. My kids can’t even tell the difference. These still have the cake crumb that we all know and love!
This looks like a very nice recipe!
Stopping by from That’s What We Said. I’m just discovering your site now and I can’t wait to start looking around. These muffins look fantastic!
Hi Juile, I am so happy you found me. These muffins are really good. I think it is time to make another batch like now!
What an unusual recipe – congrats. Thanks for the shout-out to my blueberry oat muffins, too!
Hi Marla,
Just saw the photo of these muffins at Rosas’s blog and couldn’t resist to have a peak at the recipe. Delicious!!
Cheers,
Lia.
Thanks so much Lia. Very glad Rosa could make the introduction 🙂
I made these this morning and they wouldn’t cook in the middle. I cooked them for almost an hour. I used almond meal, could this be why?
Hi Melissa, I used 1/2 oat flour in this recipe. Using only almond flour would certainly change the behavior of how these muffins would bake. I did not test them like this. If you are looking for a muffin recipe that only uses almond flour you can try my Mango Muffins.
I made these for my family two weeks ago and they were an absolute hit! I’m definitely making these a go-to breakfast and snack.
What a cool recipe! Can you replace the coconut milk with almond or soy milk, or is that a poor choice?
I am not sure Dennis, the coconut milk I use is generally a bit thicker and I think more fat than the almond or soy milk. I say give it a try and see what happens ~ be sure to report back. OK 🙂
Hi!! I love your recipes but I have made these muffins twice now and both times they did not cook even tho I had them in the oven for double the amount of time. Any suggestions?
I just made these as well, using flour exactly as the recipe calls for and I had the same problem, the middle is still raw? Wondering what I did wrong? 🙁
I made the pear/carrot sauce right before I made the muffins so it was still hot….should it be cold?
I have not tested these again for some time ~ i’ll try to soon. Sounds like some have had success ~ others not so much.