Totally Baked: Carrot Ginger Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
I was asked recently by a friend about the process of how we decide which recipes we are going to feature. My reply was that sometimes it is governed by the seasons or events that are coming up that we would like to highlight, but that a good portion of the recipes we create because we think that the intentions they provide are needed by ourselves or others.
This recipe is a perfect example of creating something to assist you when you really need it the most. For as much as we have discussed taking advantage of the new beginnings and rebirth energy of spring, I found myself at a crossroads (or maybe a dead end) and it was causing me to feel uninspired and frankly, lost. I needed to clear my mind and emotions so I could see if there was any path that made sense for me.
Since my kitchen is my sanctuary, I began rummaging around in it for ingredients that could provide me this clarity I so desperately needed and happened upon a big bag of carrots sitting in my fridge. These simple, unassuming root vegetables were the spark I needed and the idea for a recipe began to froth into life.
Clarification Through Carrots?
Think back for a moment to when you were a kid and your parents or grandparents are trying to do the right thing and encourage you to eat your vegetables. On tonight’s menu is carrots; fairly friendly veggies in the scheme of things, but depending on how they are cooked, maybe not everyone’s favorite. Whether you loved them or not, I bet you heard at least once growing up that you should eat them because they are important for improving your eyesight.
In honesty, they weren’t wrong. Carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, which in our bodies gets converted into vitamin A and is known to support your vision, but I think the wisdom of this can be taken a bit further. I don’t think the benefits just stop with our regular form of vision; carrots can also help to improve the “vision” of our mind’s eye, or third eye.
This third eye is situated in the middle of our forehead between our two other eyes and is correlated with clairvoyance and enlightenment. This is the eye we need to use when our regular vision isn’t allowing us to see clearly. Using carrots in your kitchen spellwork can help to open up all of your eyes fully, so you can navigate down the path ahead of you with more ease and confidence.
Beyond this, carrots hold energy towards empowerment, determination, and fortitude; all things we require when traversing successfully through the ups and downs of life.
Quick Ritual: Baking Manifestation
Manifestation is something that is spoken about a lot in our society currently. Whether you call it that or the law of attraction, we do possess the ability to obtain all of the success and happiness we desire if we chose to. I’ve found for me that baking is an exceptionally good tool to use when I am looking to manifest, especially if I am baking things on the sweeter side of the spectrum.
Sugar and other natural sweeteners are known for their intentional capacity for attraction, so they are my go to ingredients when my goal in spellwork is to draw in. Below, i’ve outlined my process of using baking to empower my manifestation work.
Before you begin though, i’d recommend keeping two things in mind when you choose to do this kind of work. First, it’s very important to show gratitude for what you currently have, since those are the blessings that have already been bestowed upon you. Second, manifestation works when you visualize the things you want, need and deserve, but allowing yourself to be consumed by your desire for these things will actually have the opposite effect. Trust the process and allow the Universe to work with you.
As I’m preparing whatever baked good I chose, I'm keeping my focus on what success looks and feels like to me at this moment in time. I’m trying my very best to leave out doubts about myself or how I will achieve my goals, at this point, i’m just focusing on the fact that I will achieve them. I am also taking this time to thank the Universe for all of the successes I have already enjoyed and for the opportunity to learn from my failures.
After everything is baked and cooling down, I take the opportunity to either speak the goals I was visualizing out loud or I write them down in a journal and read them back to myself. This helps me see if there are any pathways in front of me that align with these goals. If not, I know I need to recenter myself and walk in a different direction.
Sometimes a path does seem right, but I foresee obstacles. At that point, I know I have to concentrate on ways to remove them before I can continue. Personally, I get overwhelmed and disheartened easily when things don’t go smoothly, so it’s important for me to remember that I don’t have to figure it out all at once. I also take the time here to remind myself that I am worth the fight it might take to have the outcome I deserve. The last thing I do is thank the Universe for this gift of clarity and strength and enjoy the fruits of my labor!
Recipe: Carrot Ginger Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
Carrot Ginger Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour *see notes (abundance, resilience)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (manifestation, attraction, sweetening dispositions)
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (banish negative thought patterns, energize self)
- 1 Tbsp baking powder (lighten mood, raise your vibration)
- 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon (motivation, ignite manifestation, heal old, harmful patterns)
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger (encourage and hasten success, empowerment of self)
- 1/2 tsp salt (protection, cleansing of negative energies and thoughts)
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (clarity, heightens and quickens prosperity spellwork)
- 3/4 cup half and half or milk (nurturing your body and emotions, abundance)
- 2 eggs (new beginnings, divine feminine/mother energy)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (clear thought, inspire inner strength and perseverance)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (mental clarity, energy for self love and trust)
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots (mental and emotional clarity, strength)
- 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated (energy and stamina boosting, protective)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (confidence, perseverance, clear thought)
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened (abundant and prosperous endeavors)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 3-4 Tbsp flour *see notes
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add in the egg and vanilla and stir until combined.
- Mix in 3 Tbsp of flour and combine fully. If the mixture is too loose, add in the additional Tbsp of flour. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degree F and prepare a muffin tin with cupcake or muffin liners.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, sugars, spices, baking powder, and salt and whisk until fully blended.
- Next, add in your half and half or milk, eggs, vanilla, and oil and stir to combine.
- Combine your carrots, freshly grated ginger, and coconut in the bowl last and stir until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Begin by filling each muffin liner 1/3 of the way up with muffin batter. Once all of the liners are filled, add one tablespoon of your cream cheese mixture into each and then top with more batter to cover. Be sure not to overfill the liners; you will want them to be no more than 3/4 of the way full. You may top the muffins with chopped nuts of your choosing, more coconut, and/or coarse sugar.
- Place your muffin tin into the preheated oven and bake for 14-17 minutes or until firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out cleanly. Remove and allow the muffins to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you'd like to make these muffins gluten free, you can use any "cup for cup" gluten free flour blend you prefer. I recommend Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour, Cup4Cup Multi Purpose Flour, or Namaste Perfect Flour Blend.
