Ginger Pear Muffins (GAPS-legal, grain- and gluten-free)

Pear season has arrived.  I've happily adapted an old favorite breakfast into a grain-free recipe for ginger pear muffins.  The pears melt wonderfully into the batter as the muffins bake, and the flavor is divine.

Ginger Pear Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

• 1/2 cup butter or unrefined coconut oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3/4 tsp celtic sea salt 
• 6 eggs, preferably pasture-raised
• 3/4 cup coconut flour  
• 1 tsp dried ground ginger (or 1 Tb minced fresh ginger)
• 1.5 cups chopped ripe* pears, about 1/4-inch dice (leave the skin on)
  

1. Melt butter or coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Turn off heat and allow to cool slightly. Add the honey and give a gentle stir. 
2. Combine the eggs and salt in a large bowl. Stir with a fork or whisk. 
3. Add the butter (or oil) and honey mixture to the eggs.  (If the butter and honey were overheated, make sure to let them cool a bit so they won't cook the eggs.) Add the ginger and blend well with immersion blender or mixer.
4. Measure out the coconut flour.  Since coconut flour clumps, it will need to be sifted if you are not using an immersion blender. 
5. Pour the coconut flour into the bowl with the wet ingredients.  Use an immersion blender or mixer to thoroughly combine all ingredients, making sure there are no lumps.  (Since coconut flour does not contain gluten, there is no worry of over-mixing it). 
6. Add the pears, and use a spoon to fold them into the batter.
7. Line a muffin tin with paper cups.  Scoop the muffin batter into the paper cups.  I like to use a 3-Tb scoop for this, but you could just use a large spoon.
8. Bake muffins in 325 degree oven for about 40-50 minutes, until muffins are set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  If you are in a time-crunch, you could bake them at 350 degrees initially, but you'll need to reduce the heat after a bit so they won't burn before being set in the middle.
9. Remove from oven and cool.  

Delicious with a pat of butter and a big glass of raw milk or milk kefir!

*If your pears are a bit hard and not quite ripe, put them in a paper bag on the counter for several days to ripen.

This post is part of Fat Tuesday at Real Food Forager, Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist, Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade, Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet and Real Food Wednesday with Kelly the Kitchen Kop!