Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Healthy(ish) Cooking

Carrot Muffins
 
 
It is that time of the year! We are making/buying fudge, cookies, candy, and all the goodness of the holiday season. Normally I have no problem with nibbling chocolate chip cookies and drinking hot cocoa topped with heavenly whipped cream while watching Miracle on 34th Street but every now and again I need a break.  In order to keep up the energy for late night caroling and even later night present wrapping I make these:
 
Carrot Muffins!
 
Okay, so they are still a muffin which isn't exactly a spinach soy smoothie but with lots of modifications over time from a recipe I got 14 years ago they are a spiced filled yummy snack that won't send you into a sugar induced coma!
 
1 cup flour
1 cup wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 scant teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup coconut
2 cups shredded carrot (or carrot pulp from your juicer!)
Optional -  1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup pineapple bits, or 1/2 cup nuts
 
Mix together flours, baking soda, baking soda, and spices. Make a well in the middle (my kids like that part)
Mix sugars, eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Add to the well and mix. Fold in coconut and carrot with a spatula.
 
Line 12 muffin tins and add 1/2 cup to each (we like big muffin tops)
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  These muffins are going to be denser then a cupcake (not awful, I can't eat these dense but you do get the feeling that you ate something)
 
This morning we juiced the about 6-8 carrots and saved the pulp for our recipe, then juiced 5 mushy apples that were not quite bad but no one was going to eat. We made the muffins, put pecans on top half so they would be toasty, drank our juice and felt like we were ready to conquer to day!