CARROT-BANANA MUFFINS

The paleo (or primal) approach to eating aims to replicate the diet of our huntergatherer ancestors: lots of vegetables and moderate amounts of meat, fish, and eggs, along with fruit and small portions of nuts—but little or no grains or dairy. These muffins, which are low in carbohydrates compared to standard versions, fill the bill.

Ingredients

2 cups almond flour (also called almond meal)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

3 large eggs

3 bananas, mashed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons raw honey

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 1/4 cups pitted and chopped dates

2 medium carrots, shredded

3/4 chopped walnuts

2. Lightly oil a 12-cup muffin pan with organic, unrefined, cold-pressed avocado oil or line with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and coconut. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, bananas, butter, honey, and vinegar. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Fold in the dates, carrots, and walnuts. Divide the batter among the muffin cups.

3. Bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown or a skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. (Since there’s no actual flour, the muffins will not rise significantly.) Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn out the muffins onto the rack and let cool to warm or room temperature.

Pickled vegetables are wonderful because they can be prepared in advance and keep well in the refrigerator. These pickled carrots are like an Italian antipasto. In fact, they can be used as a vegetable, salad, or appetizer. If you like the recipe, try the same pickling marinade for other vegetables like zucchini or cauliflower.

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon onion, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder

Instructions

1 tablespoon whole mixed pickling spices, tied in cheesecloth

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1. Sauté the garlic and chopped onion in the olive oil in a skillet until just tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the wine vinegar, dry mustard, pickling spices, salt, pepper, and carrots. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. The carrots should still be crunchy. Remove from heat.

3. Remove the cheesecloth with the spices. Transfer the carrot mixture to a shallow dish. Top with the thinly sliced onion. Cover and refrigerate until served, stirring occasionally.