Pauline Cox’s carrot and apple muffins

“These muffins are naturally sweetened by the grated carrot, apple and cinnamon,” says functional nutritionist Pauline Cox.

“This fibre fest will keep you feeling full and satisfied without a blood-sugar spike.”

Carrot and apple muffins

Ingredients:
(Makes 12)

90g coconut oil, melted, plus extra for greasing
5 eggs
375g ground almonds
150g sultanas
90g walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped, plus a few extra to serve
3tsp baking powder
3tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp salt
375g carrots, grated
375g apples, grated (green apples for a lower carb content)
Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
Coconut or natural yoghurt, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan and grease a 12-hole muffin tin.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and combine with the melted coconut oil.

3. Add the ground almonds, sultanas, walnuts or pecans, baking powder, cinnamon and salt to the liquid egg mix, along with the grated carrots and apples and mix together to form a thick batter. Add in a quarter of the lemon juice (use the rest in drinking water) and half of the lemon zest.

4. Spoon the thick mixture into your greased muffin tray. Bake for 22-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

5. Serve with a dollop of coconut or natural yoghurt, a pecan or a walnut and sprinkle with the remaining lemon zest.

Hungry Woman by Pauline Cox is published by Ebury Press, priced £27. Photography by Luke Albert. Available Now.