Here at Cake Vs Scales, I love nothing more than a piece of cake and a chat, but everything has to balance out. But what if too much cake is tipping my balance? Never mind, that’s life and it’s perfectly imperfect! The lovely Harriet from ‘Strong Imperfect Mind’ has kindly provided today’s most with a delicious pear and ginger muffin recipe, definitely something I need to make this week!
Ginger and Pear Muffins
The Christmas decorations have been taken down and the last mince pies have been eaten, we are well and truly back to real life. Being January, it also means we are entering the toughest time of the year – the days are still short and gloomy but there’s no festive fun to look forward to. Boo! Worst of all, it’s the season for colds, flu and winter bugs.
But enough with the negativity… The good news is, there’s plenty we can do to combat winter, and one of those things is food related. Hurrah!
Why You Need More Ginger In Your Diet
One of my favourite spices, especially during winter months, is ginger. Not only does it add a warming, comforting flavour to dishes but it has also been highly valued for its medicinal properties for thousands of years.
Here’s a few ways ginger is so great for your health:
Ginger is an antiviral and encourages perspiration, which makes it really helpful for fighting colds and flu
It also has decongestant properties – again, great for combatting those winter colds. It is traditionally used for digestive disorders and can calm nausea and soothe stomach ache.
Ginger increases levels of important neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain, which regulate your mood, cravings and sleep patterns – useful for getting into the swing of new year after Christmas excess!
And finally, Ginger increases dopamine and serotonin levels – both of which are particularly important during the winter months for boosting your mood and relieving symptoms of seasonal depression.
All good stuff, wouldn’t you agree?
There’s plenty of ways to include more ginger in your diet – from adding it into stir fries, to making ginger and honey tea – but this is Cake Vs Scales, so it’s only right that this recipe features ginger in cake form!
Here is a (relatively!) healthy recipe for ginger and pear muffins. I hope you like it.
Many thanks to Katie for letting me share this guest post!
Ingredients
200g wholewheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 pinch of salt
125 ml greek yoghurt
100g butter (melted) or an oil of your choice
125 ml honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 small pears (peeled, cored and cut into small cubes)
2 balls of stem ginger (finely chopped)
Method
Preheat your oven to 180°C/355°F and line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin cases.
Peel and chop the pears, and dice the stem ginger.
Measure into a bowl the flour, baking powder, dry spices and salt.
In a separate bowl combine the melted butter, yoghurt, honey, eggs and vanilla extract. Fold this mixture into the dry ingredients.
Add the pear and stem ginger, and divide the batter evenly between the muffin cases. (NB. the mixture will be fairly stiff, don’t be tempted to add any more liquid as the pears release their juices while cooking).
Pop the cakes into the oven to bake for about 30 minutes (depending on your oven).
To check they are cooked, insert a skewer into the centre of the cake and when there is no batter clinging to the skewer, they’re ready to be removed.
Cool on a wire rack and enjoy with a cup of tea!
About Harriet
Harriet Randall is a self-love warrior who has overcome anxiety and depression by embracing positivity and a balanced lifestyle. She’s dedicated to helping other people feel happier and healthier, inside and out. She writes strongimperfectmind.com, where she encourages her readers to start leading the sparkling life they deserve.
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Have you been baking lately? What have you been enjoying eating post Xmas? Do you like Ginger?
Katie
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