I am known to be something of a workaholic. Driven by the desire to be good at what I do and to improve on that, I am a firm believer in the practice makes perfect adage. As much as I enjoy work I must admit that it does get exhaustive at times.

Being on call often keeps me from having breakfast the usual way. The hospital breakfast menu, while being varied and decent-tasting, never includes a baked item :(. I try to make up for that by baking on the eve as I get my stuff ready for the forthcoming call.  

I really need to have something to bite into before the morning ward round. I can expect to get dragged into the opration theatre at any time of the day [or night] and it would do no good to anyone to work in a state of hypoglycaemia.

For my last call, I chose to ‘personalise’ the recipe for Energy Muffins from Taste – Everyday Easy Recipes. This will yield 20 regualr sized incredibly moist and flavourful muffins that should keep your stomach from rumbling while you focus on keeping your hand steady over a 7-0 suture in vascular microsurgery.

APPLE  &  CARROT  MUFFINS

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cups caster sugar

2 cups self raising flour

1 cup almond meal

2 tsp Alpen Cereal 

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup raisins, soaked

3 medium carrots, grated

2 large fuji apples, grated

3 eggs, room temperature 

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tbs maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract 

 

 Method:
  • Preheat oven to 180°C. Line muffin pans with paper cases.
  • In a large bowl, sift flour. Stir in sugar, Alpen, almond meal and baking powder until well combined.
  • Add grated carrots, apples and raisins to flour mixture.
  • In a separate bowl, beat eggs, oil, maple syrup and vanilla.

 

  • Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients.
  • Fold until just combined but do not overmix.
  • Spoon into muffin pans and bake for 25 minutes.
  • Serve dusted with icing sugar or cream cheese frosting.