Similarly Different

All day I've been thinking about this one quote from a fellow blogger's in a recent post. She said,  "in reality, we’re all the same just trying to be different." How true is that?!  But there are things that make us unique or "similarly different."
I can recall a few times in my life where I felt this way. For instance, when we lived in Hawaii, everyone of course celebrates the Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. but feasting on stuffing, hot apple cider, and pumpkin pie just didn't feel right when your sitting at the dinner table on the Lanai (aka porch) with your flip flops and tank top. So instead, we did things a little different. We still had a turkey and cranberry sauce but we also made lots of grilled veggies and Pu Pu Platters!

sunset from my father in law's old coffee farm in Kona (during the HOLIDAYS)!

One summer (2007), while visiting family in New Zealand (the hubs home town), we actually got stuck in a blizzard on the 4th of July! Couldn't really grill out that night, haha. Does making Chicken Noodle soup count as 4th of July Festivities? 


I think this was actually the day before the blizzard, July 3rd. Burr!!!



and here's our July 4th! Pool time anyone? Maybe hot tub instead!

 

 Anyway, these small things really made for great memories! Striving to embrace change when you're used to doing things the same can be freeing. Plus it makes you UNIQUE!

Okay okay, so the whole point of this post was talk about a recipe. Yes, a Fall-ish Recipe that similar to pumpkin or zucchini bread but also TOTALLY different. 

GF Carrots n' Spice Muffins
These gluten free muffins freeze well and can be served plain or with your favorite jam, jelly, or just plain butter.

Ingredients:
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 cup Turbinado Sugar
• 1 large Eggs
• 1/4 cup plain kefir or yogurt
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• ½ cup Amaranth Flour
• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 1 tbsp flaxseed
• 1 ½ tsp. Baking Powder
• 2 tsp. ground Cinnamon
• 1-1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum
• ½ tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 cups finely grated carrots
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 9 prunes or figs (chop in food processor w/ carrots)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease muffin pans.
2. In large bowl, cream oil, sugar, eggs, kefir, and vanilla together with electric mixer until very smooth. Add flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, xanthan gum, salt, and cloves. Mix thoroughly on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
3. Quickly (but gently) stir in carrots, seeds, and chopped prunes. Batter will be somewhat thick. Turn batter and scoop into muffins tins.
4. Bake 35-40minutes at 350F. Place foil over bread during final 20 minutes of baking to reduce over-browning. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then slice the middle open and pat with a little butter (heavenly!!).

Makes 9-10 muffins

Just look how nutty and chewy they are! I've been munchin' on these all week. Well, I kinda shared with the hubs. hehe!
I hope you enjoyed some rhetorical thinking during this post. Try not to think too hard. haha!

Cheers to being SIMILARLY DIFFERENT!
LC