Did I ever tell you I have NIIIIIIINE nieces and nephews? It’s true. My brother and sister are child-making machines. They fashion up the cutest little carrot-topped and blonde-headed munchies on the face of the earth with the most pinch-able cheeks, come ‘eeer lemme squuuuuueeezzzzzuuuu adorable little fur ball!
Where was I?
Children. Right. So the nine bundles, plus the children I’ve babysat over the years, plus some high octane breeding DNA make me love the crap out of small humans. And I swear to you, that information is relevant to this post.
Why? Becaaaaaaauuuuuuse:
Stefanie from Sarcastic Cooking has got one in the oven, so Steph from Eat Your Heart Out brought together a bunch of food bloggers to throw her a virtual baby shower! Surrrrrprise, Stefanie! Congratulaaaaaatioooooooons!
What do women do at baby showers besides measure their bellies? They eat. That’s right, people. So that’s what we’re doing. We’re feeding the Stefanie and the Stefanie’s baby some baby shower food. I brought muffins! Spiced Apple Carrot Muffins!
I had been meaning to make Alexis’s Spiced Apple and Carrot Muffins ever since I laid eyeballs on them. When the baby shower thing came up, I reckoned it was muffin time. Alexis is the same lovely lady who inspired me to make the Roasted Fall Vegetables Salad. Her food is awesome.
I made a couple minor substitutions to the recipe only because I didn’t have some of the ingredients on-hand. The muffins turned out amaaaazingly! They have incredible flavor and texture and they’re nothing but great for you. Plus they’re gluten-free and naturally sweetened, but by now you should know that’s pretty much a given on TRR.
Not only do I have muffins for Stefanie and her baby, but I totally have words of wisdom. Because I’m totally a credible resource given the fact that I’m totally not a mom. So Stef, here it goes. Projectile poop. It happens. Don’t be surprised when it does.
Homemade baby food is really cool…plus you can post it on your blog! And I’d probably eat it as a non-baby person. Smoothies = caravans for vegetables. Pour fruit n’ veggie smoothies in a non-transparent sippy cup and that kid’s Vitamin tank will be full.
Okay, that’s all I’ve got for now. I’m really good at this.
Wanna see what the other girls brought? Here’s what else’s gonna get et immediately following the belly measurements:
Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out: Coconut and Vanilla Bean Canapés
Kayle @ The Cooking Actress: Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Steph @ Girl Versus Dough: Creamy Deviled Eggs with Red Onions, Capers, and Dill
Julia @ A Cedar Spoon: Southwestern Sweet Potato Rounds
Heidi @ FoodieCrush: Smoked Salmon Spread
Susan @ Girl in the Little Red Kitchen: Waffle Iron Reuben Sandwiches
Dang, we throw a mean baby shower!
Whoa, is it hot in here? Is anyone else feeling feverish? What’s that? It’s just me? I have a fever? I have BABY fever? Stop it, you.
Congratulations to you and your husband, Stefanie!

Spiced Apple Carrot Muffins
Fall-inspired Spiced Apple Carrot Muffins will make you want to curl up with a good book, fleece blanket and hefty mug of tea 😉
Ingredients
- 1 cups large carrot, peeled and grated (1.5 shredded carrot)]
- 1 Fugi apple, peeled and grated
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- ¼ cup almond meal/flour
- ¾ cup brown rice flour
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and lightly oil a 9-hole muffin pan
- Whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, maple syrup, and ginger.
- Add in the grated carrot and apple and stir to combine.
- In a seperate bowl, mix together the remaining (dry) ingredients.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Fill the muffin holes 3/4 of the way up and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until muffins test clean.
Nutrition Information
Yield 9 Serving Size 1 gramsAmount Per Serving Unsaturated Fat 0g
Ashleigh
Sunday 12th of April 2020
Is the coconut milk from the can or from the carton? Looks like a great recipe- hoping to make today- thanks!!
Julia
Sunday 12th of April 2020
Hi Aghleigh! I use full-fat coconut milk from the can :D Hope you enjoy! xo
Anna
Tuesday 24th of July 2018
Teething toddler wouldn’t eat anything! Well until I made these! Gone in two seconds! So delicious! I didn’t have brown rice flour or tapioca so I used 1/3 cup almond meal and 2/3 wholemeal flour as they didn’t have to be gluten free. Thank you for this recipe! I’ll be definitely making these again <3
Julia
Wednesday 25th of July 2018
I'm so happy to hear your Toddler loves the muffins, Anna! That warms my heart...thank you for the sweet note! xo
Francesca
Sunday 23rd of February 2014
This is lovely.. and I bet you're the best auntie.. ever. nine times over.
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli
Saturday 9th of November 2013
Ok, so I just have to say that I couldn't help but laugh out loud when you mentioned projectile poop and then making baby food in the very next sentence! Lol!
These muffins look fantastic! I love the taste of fresh ginger in baked goods! And I've been trying to figure out what the heck to do with the almond flour I bought almost a year ago! Ha!
Annie @ Natural Sweet Recipes
Thursday 7th of November 2013
What an amaaaazing flavor combination! You don't see carrots much this time of year, but how refreshing to get a another orange flavored treat in there besides pumpkin. I bet the spiced apple portion makes these unreal! Also, did you do all the photography for your cookbooks? The covers are gorgeous!!! You are so talented, Julia!
Julia
Thursday 7th of November 2013
You've gotta try the muffins, you and your sisters would love them! You can ship them to the ladies...they'll totally be perfect, un-stale an un-smashed when they arrive. Yup, I did all the photography for my books and thanks so much for the compliment! Still feel like I'm learning how to use a camera ;)