Why do we need muffins?
A few days ago someone added a very interesting comment to a healthy muffin recipe, which really got me thinking…
Do we really need muffins?
The lady asked a very valid question; after pointing out that the muffins did indeed look delicious, she asked why we needed muffins, of any kind; Why couldn’t we just eat the dates, apples, and carrots inside, as they came, and enjoy them?
This really got me thinking and I thought it was worth a mention!
My family and I eat a lot of fresh foods, as do many other people, including things like apples, dates, and carrots, some straight from our garden or from neighbors’ gardens. We love fresh food and stay away from processed foods whenever possible. A diet that is based on natural ingredients, a diet that does not come from boxes of unpronounceable ingredients and is free of refined sugar and artificial sweeteners simply has to be the way to go for better health.
So why then do I eat muffins?
The truth is, while we love fresh fruits and vegetables, we also love to indulge, some comfort food once in a while – it’s good for the soul! There’s nothing like that smell of freshly baked goods in the kitchen, it awakens the senses and the anticipation of eating the spoils is wonderful.
In my opinion, sweets can and should be healthy too (with the odd exception to the rule), but they still taste delicious. Now, as delicious as apples, carrots, and dates are, they’re not really comfort food—they’re not the kind of thing you expect to eat with a cup of fruit tea in the afternoon when you’re craving a comforting treat. .
The thing is, food is not just about what we need, sometimes it is about pure enjoyment and what we want, what we desire! Now, if we can get that out of a bagel and still have it full of nutritious goodness, I’d say that’s a great result!
We stay away from using refined sugar and artificial sweeteners whenever possible when cooking and baking at home. You also have to avoid using wheat flour as my youngest daughter is intolerant to wheat gluten. Therefore, when I bake a treat, it’s kind of like a healthy muffin. The kids love it and I can be happy knowing that they are eating something that nourishes them instead of robbing them of their precious health.
The point of sharing these types of recipes is also to encourage other people to experiment with their baking, to try to get your kids to like vegetables by adding them to things they associate with sweet comfort food, and to let people know that eating real food and Eating a healthy diet doesn’t have to mean cutting out comfort food and treats, including muffins!
So why do we need muffins? We do not!
Do we want muffins? Oh yeah!