When I go on vacation what I’m going to eat on a day-to-day basis comes into play BIG time. But years ago when the word allergy wasn’t apart of my regular vocabulary I would have cared less if you dropped me in the middle of a giant wheat field with a fork.

And this vacation came at a time in my life when I still enjoyed bread that didn’t come from the freezer section of the grocery store, so off I went to see my brother, who lives where the temperature hovers at a brisk -32 in the winter and the mosquito is the provincial bird. This amazing place is Winnipeg. No offence to the good people of Manitoba, but let’s just say your bugs and freezing cold weather, not my cup of tea.

Despite what I hated I love my brother more so off we went, and the we in this story is my sister and I. Our flight was pretty early that morning so we opted to skip breakfast and thought we’ll just grab something when we land, and at this point I am ready to eat my arm. No amount of brotherly love could have filled the void I was feeling in my stomach. So the quick grab and go breakfast it was. I will admit it wasn’t my first pick, but food is food and I was in serious need of something. One dozen muffins please, and off we went on our Winnipeg adventure.

Fast forward to day 2, we wake up in the morning and I am already thinking about how good breakfast is going to taste (little side note to my story, breakfast is probably one of my favourite meals of the day. Cereal, eggs, toast, smoothies, so many options) but guess what is sitting on the counter with a stack of plates beside it??? The box of muffins, and yes this is the same box that first entered our story and lives yesterday. But you know what I was raised to mind my p’s and q’s so I grab another muffin, smile politely and took and big bite.

But guess what? The muffins that have been following me around Winnipeg like a shadow show up for a third breakfast in a row, and not to sound ungrateful, but do you know what 3-day-old muffins look like??? Like something I was not about to take part in.

Where were you when I needed you then gluten allergy?

Moral of the story… my brother is a boy and boys will be boys, i’m actually shocked we weren’t eating muffins morning noon and night.

Perfect for a quick breakfast or snack, but just remember… one muffin is all you really need.

Zucchini Muffins with Pecans
Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup grated zucchini (2 small)
1/2 cup pecans chopped
1/2 cup raisins or cranberries (optional)
1/2 cup almond flour
1 1/4 cup sorghum flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. chia seeds
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 tsp applecider vinegar

Preheat oven to 400°F. Then line your cupcake tins with cupcake paper liners and set aside.

In a small bowl combine your chia seeds, applesauce and maple syrup and set aside, this will need a few minutes to sit and thicken.

Toast the pecans in a pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until they become fragrant then set aside.

In a large bowl sift all of your dry ingredients then fold in your grated zucchini, toasted pecans as well as your raisins or cranberries. The first time I tested these I opted for no dried fruit and they were still super delish.

Into your thickened chia mixture add your melted coconut oil, vanilla and vinegar and stir until combined then chuck that into your zucchini mixture.

Spoon your batter into the cupcake liners, you want them pretty much full to the top and into the oven they go. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, when you insert a knife into the middle and it comes out clean they are good to go.

The secret to getting muffins to rise is to not waste time once all of your ingredients are mixed because already your baking soda is going to work. Another tip is you need a slightly hotter oven which is why we’re set at 400 and not 350.