Healthy Morning Muffins

I love sharing baked goods with my family.  My kids gobble up muffins just about as fast as they come out of the oven (after cooling, of course!).  Since they eat muffins so well, I try to make them as healthy as I can.  This recipe contains both fruit (bananas & cranberries) and veggies (carrots), and uses very little oil, so I feel good about letting them dig in!

Here’s what you need…

Mix together the flours, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Once mixed, add oats and cranberries, and stir well.

Add the egg, oil, milk, carrots, and banana, and stir just until blended.  The batter will be lumpy, but that’s okay.  Stirring a quick bread, like muffins, too much will yield a tough baked good.  Go for tender!

A note about the carrots… I find that it’s best to use the finest grater that you have for the carrots.  This helps them cook quicker and release more water, making the muffins more moist, and you won’t run into crunchy carrot pieces!

Drop batter into prepared muffin tin, about 1/4 cup of batter in each.

Bake in preheated oven about 23-25 minutes.  Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin.  If the toothpick comes out clean, the muffins are done.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Healthy Morning Muffins
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup rolled oats (quick cooking or old fashioned)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 egg
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup milk
4 medium carrots, shredded
1 medium ripe banana, mashed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease a 12-cup muffin tin, or line with cupcake papers.

Mix together the flours, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Once mixed, add oats and cranberries, and stir well.  Add the egg, oil, milk, carrots, and banana, and stir just until blended.

Drop batter into prepared muffin tin, about 1/4 cup of batter in each.  Bake in preheated oven about 23-25 minutes.  Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin.  If the toothpick comes out clean, the muffins are done.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 muffins.