Morning Glory Muffins
One of my favorite muffin recipes is also one of the healthiest.
Oh, don’t get me wrong, I love a great blueberry muffin. And I adore chocolate muffins with dried cherries and chocolate chips. But I just might choose Morning Glory over those two because it is packed with all kinds of great ingredients - carrots, coconut, nuts, cinnamon - and is fun to experiment with if you don’t have those ingredients!
This muffin meets carrot cake has the cinnamon spice and richness we love in carrot cake, but without the heavy cream cheese frosting. It’s a breakfast muffin, something you don’t feel guilty about feeding to children or to yourself on weekday mornings.
I make a bunch of these and freeze them, which allows me to grab and go. With a cup of my home-brewed tea, I’ve got a cheap, healthy, and glorious way to start the day!
MORNING GLORY MUFFIN RECIPE:
Makes: 12 to 14 muffins | Prep: 10 to 15 minutes | Bake: 18 to 23 minutes
1/2 cup raisins, softened in hot water
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated peeled carrots
1 apple, peeled and grated
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
3 large eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Set aside a muffin pan with 12 wells. Soak the raisins in hot water to cover and set aside.
Place the flour, brown sugar, soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the carrots, apple, coconut, and pecans. Make a well in the center and add the eggs, oil, orange juice, and vanilla. Drain and fold in the raisins. Stir the ingredients together until just mixed.
Spray the muffin pan with vegetable oil spray or line with paper liners. Scoop batter into the pan, filling each well nearly to the top. The batter will fill 12 to 14 wells. Place the pan in the oven, and bake until the muffins brown and are just firm on top, 18 to 23 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and transfer to a rack to cool completely.