Carrots for Healthy Eyes: Pineapple Carrot Muffins

Well, it’s that time of year again, It’s spring! When I think about the start of spring and Easter, I picture in my mind flowers, eggs, chocolates, and bunny rabbits. Bunny rabbits usually go hand in hand with carrots, and eating carrots are often connected to vision and eye health. Do you see where I’m going with this one?

Last spring, I wrote an article on the benefits of eating carrots and eye health. Because of this, I thought it appropriate to share one of my favourite carrot recipes – pineapple carrot muffins! Read this week’s blog article for a great recipe handed down from my mom and grandma – pineapple carrot muffins! These muffins are a great treat! Not only do they taste great, but they also help promote healthy eyes!

One of my favourite things to bake this time of year are pineapple carrot muffins! I love carrot cake and carrot muffins as it is, but adding pineapple to the mix takes a regular carrot muffin to the next level! Adding pineapple also adds additional eye health benefits!

Did you know that the idea of eating carrots to improve on vision started out as British Intelligence propaganda in WW2? Well, it may not be entirely true that carrots help improve vision, but carrots do promote good eye health!

Eating For Healthy Eyes!

Pineapple contains nutrition which is essential to eye health. They are rich in vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants. And, like carrots, they are a good source of beta-carotene. They also help aid in the prevention of macular degeneration.

So instead of making mundane muffins, make this pineapple carrot muffin recipe for added taste and eye health benefits!

Turn this recipe into a pineapple carrot cake by placing batter into a greased and floured 9×13 pan. Bake in the oven for a total of 50 – 60 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched.

Pineapple Carrot Muffins Recipe – Yields 18 medium muffins or a 9X13 cake

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cup sugar (I have cut the sugar back to 1 cup, and they still taste great)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cups oil (for a healthier option substitute melted coconut oil)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups finely shredded carrots
• 1 – 14 ounce can of crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup of raisins (can omit if wanted)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour your muffin tins (I usually use the baker’s pam spray that has the flour in it).

In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon and set aside. In a larger bowl combine the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla and beat the ingredients well. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredient mixture and mix well. Stir in the shredded carrots, crushed pineapple and raisins. Pour batter into muffin tins. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until muffins are cooked in the center when tested with a toothpick. Let cool completely.

These muffins delicious just as they without any type of icing or topping. It also makes them friendlier on the waistline! But if you want to make them more like desert carrot muffin, add creamy cream cheese icing to the top! Recipe below.

Creamy Cream Cheese Icing Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Cream Cheese Softened
• 2 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 6 tbsps butter
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup coconut

Directions

In a bowl combine the softened cream cheese, icing sugar, butter, and vanilla. Beat ingredients until smooth. Stir in the coconut. Spread over cooled muffins or cake.

Enjoy!

Article was written by Trina Vanaalst, Licensed Optician & Contact Lens Practitioner

If you enjoyed this eye healthy recipe, you might find these other recipes also of interest!

• Eye Healthy Recipe – Tuscany Soup
• Pumpkin For Healthy Eyes! – Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe