White chocolate muffins (GAPS)

Grain-free muffins with macadamia nuts and raw cacao butter

Cacao butter (theobroma oil) is GAPS legal (unfortunately cocoa powder or chocolate isn't SCD legal), can you believe that? Thanks to the wonderful flavour and aroma of this plant fat a little goes a long way (better, because it does not come cheap). It is a wonderful ingredient to enrich any dessert (add as little as a teaspoon amount), and as a bonus, it pampers your skin too.

These little treats are very handy to take them along on a weekend excursion, OR make lunchboxes more exciting during the weekdays, OR serve them at kiddy parties as they have no other sugar source than those what the dates provide.

You will need (makes 10):
70 g macadamia nuts
3 medjool dates
50 g whole almond butter
2 medium egg whites
25 g cold-pressed raw cacao butter
2 tbsp coconut oil
25 g coconut flour
a good pinch of cinnamon
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp lime juice

some macadamia nuts, roughly chopped to decorate

1. Soak the macadamia nuts in filtered water overnight (12 hours minimum), then dry them slightly for about an hour or two in an oven at 60 C.
2. Soak the dates in warm filtered water for 2 to 3 hours. After that take the dates out of the water (keep the soaking liquid), discard the seeds. Peel off the skin. Put the skinless, pitted dates in a tall glass container, add 2 tbsp soaking liquid and cream them with a hand blender.
3. Add the egg whites to the dates and blend together for 15 to 20 seconds.
4. Put the macadamia nuts in a blender, pulse for a few seconds, then add the almond butter. Blend until smooth.
5. Put the creamed nuts in a mixing bowl, add the date and egg mixture and combine well.
6. Gently melt the coconut oil and the cacao butter over low heat in a bain-marie (water bath). Then add to the nut and egg mixture. Mix well.
7. Combine the bicarbonate of soda, the ground cinnamon, and the coconut flour, then add to the batter. Finally add the lime juice. Mix thoroughly.
8. Scoop the muffin batter into paper cups, sprinkle the tops with some nuts.
9. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 C for about 30 to 35 mins or until the colour of the muffins is nice and golden.
10. Let them cool down completely on a wire rack. Share and enjoy!

Allergy: Egg. Nut. Citrus. No dairy. No gluten. No grain. No sugar. VEGETARIAN.

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