Smart snacking: carrot and blueberry muffins
Halfway through the 12-Week Challenge, our participants are savvy about snacking. Smart choices include vegetable crudités and a small serving of yoghurt (Challenger Bianca Ryan loves hers with some chopped banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon and natural sugar substitute Natvia). It makes sense to cut down on sugar, and not just to reduce kilojoules, says Natvia’s Rosie Lane: “Sugar consumption has been linked to everything from type 2 diabetes to skin ageing, to mood swings,” says Lane, adding that Australians eat about 60g of sugar each day. “That’s the equivalent of 14 teaspoons of the sweet stuff – and it’s more than twice as much as the World Health Organisation’s recommended intake of 25g a day.” If you think you can’t have the odd baked-goods treat, think again, says Lane, who offers a healthy take on morning tea.
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup milk of choice
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup Natvia
2 cups plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups carrots, grated
1/2 cup blueberries
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180°C and line a cupcake pan with liners.
Whisk together the milk, eggs, Natvia, and canola oil until well combined.
Add flour, baking powder, and cinnamon and mix until combined.
Add carrots and blueberries and mix until combined.
Divide between cupcake liners and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. (Makes 12)
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