Carrot Muffins

I'm quite the rabbit.  I adore carrots in all shape, sizes and forms.  Raw, boiled, stir fried, baked, you get the idea.  There is one dish, however, that I've never fully embraced.  Carrot cake.  

The concept sounds amazing and I get excited any time I try one.  Ultimately, I am left disappointed by a host of Goldilocks-like complaints: too spicy, too dense, too greasy.  Not to mention, I'm not a fan of cream cheese frosting (neither is my wimpy gut).  

Check out all those lil' carrot nubs in there.  Nom!

Which leads to a recipe that for me, is the perfect carrot cake in the form of a muffin.  They are light and healthy yet filling and friggin' delicious!  They'll make your house smell amazing as you bake them, especially this time of year.  I adapted the recipe from this Austrailian recipe.  (If you read this recipe and come across the word "sultanas," apparently they are the Brit/Aussie term for "raisins.")

Carrot Muffins

Printable Version Here

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups shredded carrots (approx. 4 medium carrots)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine.  Beat together the eggs, oil and vanilla extract.  Add the carrots (I use a food processor on "grind" to cut the carrots up) and stir to combine.  Gradually fold in the dry ingredients, taking care not to over mix the batter.  Pour the muffin mixture into a 12 x muffin tin that has been lined with paper or foil muffin/cupcake liners.  Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.  Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

These muffins are moist yet light.  They are healthy and filling.  No frosting needed . . . though I won't tell if you add a little butter on top.  ; )   

I seriously eat 2-3 of these muffins a day!  Which leads me to a TMI side effect . . . they keep me really regular!  LOL!  Seriously, that doesn't come easy for some of us so it's a big deal!  This recipe is IBS and IC friendly.  I have both conditions and these muffins don't bother me one bit.  However, if it contains any problem ingredients for you, substitute, substitute, substitute!  

Even my hubby likes these healthy muffins!  It actually makes me a little mad he likes them because it means I have to make more . . .

Read here for an update on this recipe.