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2.15.2012

Mini Blueberry Muffins


One of the side effects of a diet high in starchy carbohydrates, sugary and processed foods is poor quality skin. We have all experienced it at some stage, after a seemingly innocent night of bread, white pasta, followed by a dessert bursting with refined sugar, we wake up the next morning feeling andlooking quite unfortunate. Common side effects are red puffy eyes, dry, dull, flaky skin, often accompanied by breakouts. Eeek! It was such a good idea at the time! Our skin reflects our diet almost immediately, revealing a lot about what is happening on the inside. These nasty side effects are our bodies way of telling us that the food we are eating is unwelcome.

What we eat directly affects the appearance of our complexion and determines how we age. Yet we can still enjoy sweet treats and maintain a healthy complexion by learning to bake the supercharged way, free from gluten, dairy and sugar. These common allergens are replaced by ingredients that will heal your body, and provide nutrients that will yield beautiful skin! These delectable mini blueberry muffins contain skin loving ingredients that will have you feeling and looking amazing. They are a great little addition to bring along to the weekend picnic, and will help you avoid those skin sabotaging desserts that seem to spring up in front of you at every work, friend and family gathering.

Wheat flour and wheat products can wreak havoc on your body’s largest organ by causing spikes in insulin, causing insulin induced skin inflammation within the follicles. The skin is also commonly affected by food allergies related to wheat and gluten, resulting in conditions such as eczema, hives and rashes.

These conditions can be avoided by replacing wheat flour for almond meal, buckwheat or coconut flour when baking your own healthy snacks. Almond meal is simply the flour that is produced after grinding almonds. When choosing almond meal, try to look for flour that has been made using the whole almond, skin included, rather than blanched almond meal. You can make your own fresh almond meal at home by grinding up raw organic almonds in a coffee grinder.

A study shown in the Journal of Nutrition revealed that almond skins contain twenty potent flavanoid antioxidants, and that eating almonds with the skins significantly increases flavanoids and vitamin E in the body. The two work together as an antioxidant team. The flavanoids found in almonds include catechin, kaempferol and epicatechin, and have fantastic anti ageing skin benefits due to their ability to prevent skin cells from oxidizing and dying. Significant amounts of vitamin E are found within almonds, approximately 45% of your daily value in a quarter of a cup! Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and has been found to reduce the effects of sun exposure on the skin by modifying the photoaging process and protecting skin cell membranes. Almonds are also rich in short-chain Omega-3 fatty acids with powerful anti inflammatory effects, significantly improving skins moisture, texture, smoothness and suppleness.

Mini Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

2 cups almond meal
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup grapeseed oil
3 eggs beaten
1/3 cup coconut milk
8 drops liquid stevia
Here’s How to Make Delicious Muffins:
Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius
Grease a 12 cup muffin tin
In a medium bowl combine dry ingredients
In a separate bowl mix eggs, grapeseed oil, coconut milk and stevia
Add wet ingredients to dry then carefully fold in blueberries
Spoon mixture into 12 cup muffin tin so that each cup is two thirds full
Place in oven and bake for about 15 minutes
-Kora Organics


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