Mighty Mighty Muffins

This muffin is the love child of carrot cake and zucchini bread. Seriously.

I have been working on this recipe for a couple of weeks, trying to get it just right. I kept adjusting my recipe until I threw it out and started over. Finally, I referred to my favorite banana muffin recipe from Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook and made several adjustments to it until I had exactly what I was hoping for. A delicious muffin that was moist, lightly sweetened, and highlighted the carrots and zucchini.

Mighty Mighty Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups soy milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 cup grated zucchini (1 smallish zucchini)
1 cup grated carrots (1 large carrot)

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat flour
2/3 cup all purpose flour (or use only all purpose flour, which would be 2 and 2/3 cups)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice

1/3 cup vegan margarine
3/4 cup natural sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup vegan sour cream or vegan yogurt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line a muffin pan with paper muffin liners.

Put the raisins in a measuring cup and cover them in hot water. You want to let these soak while you prepare the rest of the ingredients so they will plump up.

Combine the soy milk with the vinegar in another mixing bowl to let it thicken and sour.

Grate your carrots and zucchini into a small bowl. You want about a cup of each, but don't worry about it being exact.

In a mixing bowl combine the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour and oat flour. I make my own oat flour by running rolled oats through my spice grinder. It works really well. You can also use just all purpose flour instead of the flour blend if you would like.

To the flour add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Combine it well and make sure there are no clumps of baking soda. I usually press the baking soda onto my mixing spoon to break up any clumps before adding it to the rest of the dry ingredients.

In another bowl beat the margarine with the sugar and vanilla until it is light and fluffy. Then add sour cream or yogurt and beat it in with the margarine. Finally add the soured milk and mix well.

Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix just enough to combine and then fold in the raisins (drained of the hot water), carrots, and zucchini.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes ... they are done when the tops are brown and spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

For 12 muffins
Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 106 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 229 Calories from Fat 58

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 6.4g 10%

Saturated Fat 1.1g 6%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 287mg 12%

Total Carbohydrates 39.4g 13%

Dietary Fiber 2.1g 8%

Sugars 17.8g

Protein 4.5g

Vitamin A 36% • Vitamin C 4% Calcium 6% • Iron 9%

Nutrition Grade C+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet