The cashew muffins (GAPS)

Grain-free muffins made from cashew nuts

Oh weekend, we all need a little bite of sweetness, especially when it was so grey and rainy during the week. Muffins are great to cheer you up, and the making is so fun when two little hands are eager to help with mixing the batter and decorating the sweet little muffins, and with the tasting as well, of course...

These muffins are grain-free and there is not a granule of sugar in them either. They need a little preparation prior to baking, but the end results are these great textured (not too moist an not dry either) and lovely flavoured (taste like toffee) sweet little things. It is so easy to take them with you if the sun is out and you feel for a stroll over the weekend, or serve them and kids' parties, or pack them with lunch when the school starts (very soon).

You will need (makes 10 medium muffins):
150 g cashew nuts
80 g butter
5 Medjool dates (large, sweet, soft, squashy, succulent)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 lime
1/3 tsp ground cinnamon

dried coconut, to decorate

Miss E pastry chef is decorating the cashew muffins with dried coconut

1. Soak the cashew nuts in filtered water for 24 hours (12 hours is a must).
2. Soak the dates in filtered water for 2 hours.
3. Rinse the cashews a couple of times, then put them in a sieve and let the extra water to drip. Cream the well drained cashew nuts (220 g) it in a chopper.
4. Take the dates out of the water (keep the soaking liquid), discard the seeds. The skin got loose, so I took them off. Put the skinless, pitted dates in a tall glass container, add 2 tbsp soaking liquid and cream it with a hand blender.
5. Add the egg and blend together for 20 to 25 seconds.

The chef is tasting

6. Put the creamed cashew nuts in a mixing bowl, add the date and egg mixture and combine well.
7. Add the melted butter, mix thoroughly.
8. Mix in the bicarbonate of soda, the lime juice and the ground cinnamon. Make sure the batter is well combined.
9. Scoop the muffin batter into cups, sprinkle generously with desiccated coconut.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 C for about 30 mins.
11. Let them cool completely. Share and enjoy!

Allergy: Nut, Egg, Dairy, Citrus. No gluten. No grain. No sugar. Vegetarian.

[i] For more GAPS recipe ideas please visit my GAPS recipes selection.