Last night while walking home from work, I passed not one but two Crumbs Bakery’s, which are famous for their cupcakes…one glance into the adorable bakery is all it took for me to scurry home and bake these tasty gluten-free red velvet muffins…I opted for a pinch of coconut and a handful of pistachios to add a sweet n’ crunchy kick.  These babies are made with roasted beets for an all-natural rich, red velvet hue.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup roasted beets, shredded
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2 eggs or egg substitute
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/4 cup pistachios, ground
• 1/2 tsp. gluten-free vanilla extract
• 1 cup gluten-free baking flour (rice, bean, etc.)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup coconut flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Toppings

• Greek plain yogurt (I use Fage for its thickness) or dairy-free alternative
• Additional coconut flakes
• Additional pistachios, ground

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Shred beets in a food processor.
• In a large bowl, combine all wet ingredients.
• In a separate large bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  Slowly add wet mixture to dry mixture; mix well.
• Transfer batter into muffin tins; fill to the top.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes.
• Cool on baking racks.
• When muffins are at room temperature and ready to serve, top each muffin with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of coconut and pistachios.
• Enjoy!