Acorn Squash Muffins GF, BED, SCD & Paleo!

Hey Guys!! I'm still riding the wave from the Fourth of July up our lake home in Wisconsin.
My sister-in-law and I were fedora sisters on the boat!

I'm back in NYC now -- this weekend its supposed to be mid-90s with high humidity. Uugh. So I'm taking a mental vacation back to the Northwoods where it was 70 degrees!

One tradition that has been in my family forever, is that every Fourth of July, everyone brings some sort of baked goods. My mom and aunt are famous for their Monster Cookies! They're amazing - peanut butter, coconut, raisins - they're SO good. (I've Happy Tummy - ified them in my e-cookbook, The Best of GlutenFreeHappyTummy (only $2.99 on Amazon!)) Unfortunately, they're not SCD friendly --  SO this year I decided to make Acorn Squash Muffins! They're Gluten Free, Body Ecology Diet & Specific Carb Diet Friendly and Paleo!

Sorry for the less-then-stellar photos...I baked them at night when the lighting wasn't great so they'd be fresh for everyone in the morning.

I didn't just make these for me. My dad and brother are both "low-carb-ers." They follow the Atkins diet, which is literally the Paleo "caveman diet!" It's funny - we're basically on the same diet -- no grains! (except I don't eat meat and they definitely do:) ) So I made these muffins so they could have a baked good to enjoy too! And let me tell you--they LOVED them!! My pops let me take a pic of his mid bite:)

Here's what you need: (Makes 13 muffins)

3 egg whites
1/4 c coconut milk
5 droppers-full of pure liquid stevia (SCD use 1/4 cup honey)
2 tsp alcohol free pure vanilla extract
2 cups acorn squash
1 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prick your acorn squash (I used 2) all over with a fork and microwave them for about 7 minutes, flipping them with an oven mitt half-way through. Carefully take out the squash with an oven mitt and let them cool for several minutes. Then, cut them in half and scoop out the seeds and discard. Scoop the flesh of the squash, and put in the food processor. Process until smooth. Put the flesh into a clean kitchen towel (or several paper towels) and wring out any excess liquid.

In a medium sized bowl, combine your egg whites, stevia, coconut milk, and acorn squash with a wisk. It will be a very wet mixture.

In another small bowl, combine your dry ingredients. Stir together your dry with your wet. It will be a loose batter. Scoop 1/4 cup of the batter into your lined muffin tins.

Bake for 1 hour 35 minutes on the middle rack. I liked mine chilled in the fridge!

Nutrition Information: Serving size 1 muffin
65 Calories
4.1 grams of fat
4.9 g carbohydrates
1.8 g fiber
3.1 g net carbs
3 g protein

These little muffins were SO GOOD!! Oh my gosh, they were such a treat! They taste just like pumpkin bread! They're the perfect sweetness, spicy and warm. And they're moist and chewy!

There's a nutty undertone from the almond flour, which compliments the cinnamon and the earthy sweetness of the squash!

And the menfolk LOVED them. They also loved that each muffin had only 3 net carbs! They enjoyed one every morning with their coffee. I was so glad to be able to offer them something "bready" since that's not part of their everyday diet!

Although - let's be honest....by the end of the vacation, they treated themselves (and their wives) to a Brandy Alexander ice cream drink. Check this out -- have you ever SEEN an ice cream drink that big!?!? The photo doesn't do it justice -- it was served in an extra large margarita glass and was bigger than my head! Yes, you're seeing that correctly - it's piled about 9 inches ABOVE the rim! There were 2 PINTS of ice cream in each drink! They do it big in the Northwoods!

I treated myself that night to vodka with seltzer and muddled lemon and lime:) Haha not quite as decadent:)

I have a SUPER exciting recipe to share with you on Sunday! I can't wait!!! See you then!