Cooking as a Spiritual Practice, Plus a Carrot Apple Sunshine Muffin Recipe

One of my favorite quotes is from Zen teacher and author Edward Espe Brown, who writes in No Recipe: Cooking as a Spiritual Practice, “When we realize that the things we do are not just things but our behavior, then we may also realize that we have the power to change our life by changing the way we do things rather than what we do.”

What if we could change our lives by changing the way we cook?

For many of us, cooking is a choice. While there’s no shortage of packaged foods and convenience options, most of us still choose to cook—because of budgetary reasons, because we prefer certain foods, because of environmental values, or because of health needs or food intolerances. Regardless of the why, we get to choose the how.

You might think I’m referring to the dishes we select or the ingredients we use, but that’s not what I mean. I’m talking about the process of cooking itself. As I share in my new book, Mind, Body, Spirit, Food, “If we can shift our perspective to begin viewing the everyday act of preparing food (and the shopping, cleaning, and eating that go along with it!) as a way to connect to our bodies, to the foods we eat, and to our inner selves, then cooking can become a tool to help us access more presence, freedom, and joy in our lives.”

In this way, cooking becomes a spiritual practice—a way of tuning in, connecting with ourselves and the world around us, and returning to beauty, wonder, curiosity, and delight.

The doorway to this is presence. The more fully we show up for the act of cooking, the more available we become to its nourishment. This is where the power of intention comes in. An intention is a word or phrase that guides how we want to feel in any given moment. It isn’t a goal or an outcome. It’s a guidepost for how we want to be.

An intention can be anything, from I will be fully present, to I will look for beauty, to I will slow down, to I will invite comfort.

When we approach the kitchen with intention, we can shift the ordinary acts of measuring, stirring, chopping and tasting into opportunities for connection and self-care.

In the Kitchen

Take making the Carrot Sunshine Muffins below (adapted from my newsletter), for instance.

Start by taking two slow, deep breaths—letting the air travel all the way down into your belly. With each exhale, soften from the crown of your head to the soles of your feet. Arrive fully in your kitchen, in your body, noticing the weight of your feet on the floor and any scents hovering in the air.

Then set an intention—something to guide you as you make the muffins. Perhaps it’s I will have a simple mind. Clear your head of everything that came before and everything that’s to come later. Allow your mind to feel simple, unburdened.

Let this intention accompany you as you move through the recipe. Notice the small beauties you might otherwise rush past—the softness of flour as it clouds into the bowl, the sparkle of orange zest, the quiet snap of nuts under your knife, the steadiness of your own breath.

When your thoughts wander, as they inevitably will, simply bring them back: I will have a simple mind.

And when the muffins emerge from the oven and it’s time to eat, return once more to your intention. Peel away the muffin liner as if you’re opening a small gift. Savor what you made with a simple mind, fully present in your body.

This is the real nourishment. Not just the food we prepare, but the way we move through the act of preparing it. When we cook with intention, curiosity, and care, we transform an everyday necessity into a spiritual practice—one that supports us, steadies us, and awakens us to the wonder threaded through daily life.

Carrot Apple Sunshine Muffins (Grain Free, Naturally Sweetened)

By Nicki Sizemore

These tender muffins taste like carrot cake that’s gone sunbathing. They’re filled with grated carrots, apples, coconut, and raisins, and fragrant with cinnamon and ginger. The secret ingredient is orange juice, which brightens everything without overwhelming the flavors. Make them with a simple mind, and let the practice of making them nourish you as much as the end result.

Makes: 12 muffins

Dry ingredients
1 ¼ cups (138g) almond flour
¼ cup (25g) coconut flour
¼ cup (25g) shredded unsweetened coconut
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Wet ingredients
3 large eggs
1 packed cup (100g) grated carrots (from about 2 medium carrots)
½ packed cup (100g) grated apple (from about ½ large apple, include the juices)
¼ cup (80g) maple syrup
¼ cup (50g) melted coconut oil (or you can use neutral vegetable oil)
½ teaspoon orange zest (optional)
¼ cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
½ cup (70g) raisins

Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Whisk the wet ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, shredded unsweetened coconut, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt.

Whisk the wet ingredients and combine

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Stir in the grated carrots, grated apple, maple syrup, coconut oil, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla.

Combine: Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in the raisins.

Bake: Divide the batter among the lined muffin cups (an ice cream scoop works great for this). Bake until the muffins are golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20–25 minutes. Cool the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack and to cool completely (the flavor and texture will improve as they cool).

Savor the muffins with a simple mind.

Storage: Store the muffins in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up 3 months.

On Campus

Mind, Body, Spirit, Food

Cooking as a spiritual practice

February 27–March 1, 2026