COCONUT MILK CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

COCONUT MILK CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

This recipe makes a wonderful muffin with a fudgy sort of texture very similar to baking with white flour and sugar, but I think, it's nicer, probably because I am now so unused to regular baking versus my low-carb baking. I think, in part, the reason I am completely content with sugar-free, gluten-free and low-carb baking is that I am used to it and typically without white flour and sugar in my life, I don't crave them anymore.  Sugar is apparently as addictive as cocaine and white flour has a protein in it called gliadin, which again is very addictive...apparently it gives the brain a nice reward and makes us feel good...thus we crave even more.  I used to live off bread practically when I was in my early thirties.  It became that way.  In my twenties I was very slender and ate whatever I wanted, including bread, however, I was not yet addicted....until I started eating more and more bread after my babies were born.  I loved thick, soft white bread with  margarine (yep!  Becel or the cheaper one, Country Crock (what a crock!), in Canada), golden syrup (eek - high fructose corn syrup) and slices of cheese.  I thought that was so good, but it was really so bad for my body!  White flour, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, trans fats and let's add some fat to that with the cheese and make sure it gets stored on my midriff.  I managed with dieting from time to time to keep my figure, but it was beginning to be a struggle.  By the time I had finished writing two Splendid Desserts cookbooks - ironically tailored to the conventional diet for people with diabetes, I was losing the battle of the bulge BIG time!  That is when I found low-carbing and even although I am still 5 to 7 lbs heavier than I would like to be most of the time, I know in my heart of hearts that by this time I would be very, very much bigger had I stayed the course!  

2¹/₂  cups Gluten-Free Bake Mix 2, OR (625 mL)
  Keto Bake Mix

1 tbsp baking powder (15 mL)

¹/₈  tsp salt (0.5 mL)

1 egg

1 cup canned coconut milk (250 mL)

1 tbsp melted coconut oil (15 mL)

2 tsp vanilla extract (10 mL)

1¹/₂  tsp unflavored gelatin (7 mL)

¹/₃  cup granulated erythritol (75 mL)

Liquid sweetener to equal ¹/₃  cup sugar (325 mL)

¹/₃  cup desiccated unsweetened coconut (75 mL)

1 cup chocolate chips (250 mL)

  (this is a lot - could use half the amount)

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

In medium bowl, combine Gluten-Free Bake Mix 2, baking powder and salt. 

In food processor or in bowl with mixer, process egg.  Add coconut milk, erythritol, liquid sweetener, coconut oil, vanilla extract and gelatin; process well.  Add dry ingredients; process.  Stir in coconut and then stir in the chocolate chips.

Fill 12 muffin cups ³/₄  to full.  Bake muffins about 18 minutes, or until a dinner knife inserted in the muffins comes out clean (except for the chocolate, of course).

Yield:  12 muffins (can use my Keto Bake Mix - 5.4 g carbs)

1 muffin

244.3 calories

5.6 g protein

18.2 g fat

0.5 g fiber

6.4 g net carbs