Morning Glory Muffins

I've really been in the mood for a good muffin lately. A super healthy, packed with goodness muffin that I can have for a weekday breakfast on the go without feeling bad about questionable ingredients. So when I found this recipe I was anxious to try it out.

After I made a few modifications to bump up the health factor, I was SO pleased with how this muffin came out. Carrots, apples, golden raisins, and whole wheat flour are only a few of the healthful ingredients in this muffin. I actually feel good about eating it because not only is it just delicious tasting, I know that it's packed with goodness.

The muffin itself is perfectly sweet (using agave nectar, not white sugar) and very moist. The almonds add wonderful texture and the cinnamon is a great addition to the flavor of the muffin.

All in all, I absolutely loved this muffin, as did my co-workers...who could not believe it was actually healthy. Which is fine by me.

Ingredients
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup agave nectar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups grated carrots
1 apple (I used granny smith), peeled, cored and diced
1 cup golden raisins
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 cup applesauce
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 small handfuls of Raw Almonds, chopped finely and divided
about 4+ tbsp. wheat germ, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly oil a muffin tin with nonstick spray, or use paper cups.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, applesauce, agave nectar, vanilla extract and almond extract. Set bowl aside.

In a large bowl, stir together whole wheat and all purpose flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and about 2 tbsp. wheat germ. Stir in carrots, apples, 1 small handful of chopped almonds and raisins. Then stir in egg mixture until just moistened. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about 3/4 full.

In a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, combine the rest of the chopped almonds and 2 tbsp wheat germ. Heat until wheat germ is very lightly toasted, and then top the muffins with the toasted wheat germ and almonds.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and spring back when lightly pressed.

I yielded 24 muffins that were on the smaller side.

Healthy Lemon Cranberry Muffins

I was going to name these muffins "The best muffins on the face of the earth" but I thought Lemon Cranberry muffins was a more descriptive title. Seriously though, these muffins are amazing. It's like all of the sweet, tart and fresh flavors of Spring came together in this little muffin for a perfect combination that will delight your senses. AND there is no sugar, but through the honey they are perfectly sweet. Anyways, if you actually want to taste spring, I encourage you to try this muffin. They are wonderful!

Ingredients
Adapted from Cooking Books
Originally from Canyon Ranch Cooking

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup agave nectar (I pretty much knew I would not find this in any of my local stores, so I used Honey instead. It worked perfectly!)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2/3 cup non-fat milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

3/4 cup fruit, diced if needed (I used dried cranberries. In addition, I am going to use a full cup next time because I love me some cranberries!)

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest (I used the zest of half a lemon)
Juice of half a lemon (I added this)
Directions

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and oil your muffin tin or use paper liners.

Mix the flours, baking powder and salt in a medium-large bowl.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, honey, juice of half a lemon and butter until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and add the cranberries and lemon zest. Fold everything together until just combined.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 of the way full and bake for 20 minutes. Halfway through cooking, rotate the pan. You might want to keep an eye on them after 15 minutes... make sure a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out dry. Cool slightly and move to a wire rack.

The original recipes yields 7 muffins, however I got 12. I do make smaller muffins though, because I don't want anything too filling in the morning!

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

I have to admit, I'm one of "those" people who don't eat breakfast. I know, so shameful. The main reason is because I really dislike breakfast foods, as I've said before. Eggs, pancakes, waffles, yogurt; yuck. However, when I came across these Muffins on the Two Peas and Their Pod blog, I decided that I'd like to try them out. I have been making a very strong effort to eat healthy lately (to improve my lifestyle and because I've got a beachy vacation in the near future!) and I know that breakfast is a very important meal.

These are really good! They have a wonderful flavor and don't taste healthy even though they are! I followed most of the modifications that Maria of Two Peas and their Pod made, and also added slivered Almonds which adds some wonderful texture to the muffin! Enjoy!

Ingredients
Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod
Originally from Joy the Baker

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk (I didn't have any buttermilk so I mixed 1/2 tbsp white vinegar with 1/2 cup skim milk)
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
3/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (I used 1 cup)
Handful of slivered Almonds

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a muffin tin with paper cases or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a medium bowl combine applesauce, buttermilk, sugar, oil, egg, and extracts. Make a well in dry ingredients and add applesauce mixture. Stir until just moist. Fold in berries and Almonds. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. I got 20 muffins that were on the small side.

Bake for 16-18 minutes.

Cool on rack. They also freeze very well!