Zucchini Spice Muffins (GAPS : primal : paleo : grain-free : gluten-free)

In this season of abundant summer squash, I often have fridge drawers loaded with zucchinis. One great way to use zucchini is to make muffins. These zucchini spice muffins are sweet and tasty. What a great way to eat your veggies!

I love that these muffins even pass the 5-year-old test, despite the fact that my daughter seems to have reached the stage of being suspicious of most green foods (which she used to love).

Zucchini Spice Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

• 1/2 cup butter or unrefined coconut oil
• 1/2 cup mild-flavored honey
• 3/4 tsp celtic sea salt 
• 6 eggs, preferably pasture-raised
• 1.5 tsp organic vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 dashes ground ginger
• dash of cloves
• 3/4 cup coconut flour
• 2-3 medium zucchinis (or one extra large zucchini)
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp baking soda (optional)*

1. Melt butter or coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Turn off heat and allow to cool slightly. 
2. Meanwhile, combine the eggs, salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, spices, and optional baking soda in a large bowl.  If using an immersion blender, pulse a few times to combine. Otherwise, mix to combine with a whisk or mixer.
3. Add the honey to the butter (or coconut oil) and stir slightly.  Pour this mixture into the wet ingredients and blend well with immersion blender or mixer.
4. Remove the ends from the zucchinis, and shred them with a box grater. There is no need to peel them before shredding. 
5. Measure out the coconut flour.  Since coconut flour clumps readily, it will need to be sifted if you are not using an immersion blender.**
6. 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).
7. Fold in the shredded zucchinis and optional raisins.
8. 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.  The cups may be quite full if your zucchini was rather large, but this is fine.
9. 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. 
10. Remove from oven and cool.  Delicious with a pat of butter and a big glass of raw milk or milk kefir!  Pair these muffins with bacon or eggs for a hearty meal.

Time-saving tips:
*I do not add baking soda to my muffins, as they seem to come out fluffy enough from mixing with an immersion blender (and Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride cautions about using too much baking soda as it can further deplete stomach acid and GAPS people tend to already have low stomach acid).  But if you want your muffins to be more fluffy, add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp baking soda in step 2.  More for more fluffy, and less for less fluffy. Watch out, though, that you don't fill your muffin cups very full if you add the baking soda.
**If you use an immersion blender to combine the ingredients, you can skip the step of sifting the coconut flour.  This also gives you less dirty dishes!
***While you are at it, why not make a double batch of muffins and throw one dozen into the freezer?  It doesn't take much more time, and they will make a very easy breakfast for some other week.

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