Oatmeal Carrot Muffins with Garam Masala

Oh don’t mind me. Just sitting here in the corner of the interwebz putting ethnic-savory spices into ANY kind of baking recipe I can find.

It started with the five spice eggless vegan zucchini and healthy gluten free sweet potato muffins and now, here we are with GARAM MASALA carrot muffins.

I don’t know what it is, but there is some little person living in my soul that just keeps forcing me to dump non-savory-non-traditional flavors into sweet food and I am NOT one bit mad about it because these healthy gluten free muffins you guys?

They are GEMS. Like, ugh-cannot-get-enough-can-I-eat-them-for-dinner kinda obsessed with them.

Because we’ve been eating food for 6 years together, I already know you’re like “GARAM WHO? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?” So, let’s just clear that up before we go any further

What is Garam Masala?

Garam Masala literally means “hot spices” and is a spice blend used in Indian cooking. It is typically made from coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. However, it varies region to region, so there isn’t one standard Garam Masala!  It’s typically used to make something like coconut slow cooker curry.

That is, until TODAY.

Think of these dairy free carrot muffins kind of like if an coconut sweet potato curry and healthy gluten free sugar free carrot cake had a food baby together.

Actually, don’t think of that. Because that does NOT sound appetizing.

What you really need to do is just open your MIND and embrace the new! The wonder! The bold! And you’ll be appreciating all the savory-sweet and spiciness that munchin’ on some sugar free gluten free oatmeal carrot muffins will bring to your life.

Besides adding a little zip and a little zap (?? Roll with it) to your food-eating-real-person-life, making the wise choice to add carrot muffins to your daily list of “things to eat” (or am I the only one that has one of those?) will also add an EASE that you will LOVE because they are BLENDER MUFFINS.

Or, FOOD PROCESSOR muffins. Really, just whatever sharp-bladed kitchen utensil that lives on your counter. It will do.

Liiiike, DO allllll the work for you.

Do you not just love the magic of technology? How did the world survive before the magic of food processors?

Other things that are easy but might possibly freak you out: carrot baby food.

Internet friends. It’s just carrots. It’s just easier to buy it all blended up for you then do it yourself because you are a busy person and have other important busy person things to do.

Just breathe. We will get through this and you will eat baby-food-turned-muffin and you will feel VRY VRY okay about it. I pinky swear.

At first taste you get this flavor Garam Masala PUNCH that is might confuse your taste buds if you aren’t used to Indian food. But then LAYERS of cardamom, nutmeg, coriander and cumin will dance across your tongue, blending with the intense sweetness of the dates and toasty notes of coconut and you will wonder where Garam Masala has been all of your baking life.

They’re a little sweet, a little spicy and a WHOLE lot of intriguing.

Exactly like you. <3

Ingredients

— 1 cup Dates, halved and lightly packed (156g)

— 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cashew Milk, or almond milk

— 6 tablespoons Carrot Baby Food

— 1 Egg White

— 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

— 1 cup Oat Flour, (104g)

— 1 teaspoon Baking Powder

— 1 teaspoon Garam Masala

— 3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

— 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger

— 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

— 1/4 teaspoon Salt

— 2 tablespoons Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

Directions