Morning Glory Oat Muffins

I have a weakness for muffins. Every time I make them I'm reminded of this fact and of why I don't make them more often. Because I can't stop eating them. I consider it sufficient self-control if I stop after only three (when they're warm out of the oven) and confine the rest to the back of the freezer. (Where they might last for a week... if they're lucky.) Even if they are packed with fiber and nutritious things like shredded carrots, apples, and raisins, too many muffins in one day isn't a good thing. As far as muffins go, these Morning Glory Oat Muffins are quite healthy. Honey and Jam added oatmeal (good for the heart and digestion) and substituted applesauce for the oil. Both smart moves. I further reduced the sugar and they were still plenty sweet. These spiced muffins are dense and chewy and full of all the goodness that morning brings.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup raisins (I used a mix of golden and regular)
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup organic cane sugar (or brown sugar or honey)
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups carrots, peeled and grated
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and grated
1/2 cup shredded sweetened or unsweetened coconut (optional, I omitted)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (or pecans)
1/3 cup wheat germ or sunflower seeds (optional, I omitted)
3 large eggs
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
demarara or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin, or line it with papers and spray the insides of the papers. 

In a small bowl, cover the raisins with hot water, and set them aside to soak while you assemble the rest of the recipe.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Stir in the carrots, apple, coconut, nuts, and wheat germ, if using. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, applesauce, vanilla, and orange juice. Add to the flour mixture, and stir until evenly moistened. Drain the raisins and stir them in. Divide the batter among the wells of the prepared pan, filling to the top. Sprinkle with demerara sugar (optional).



3. Bake in preheated oven for 20- 25 minutes, until domed and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes in their pan on a rack, then turn out of pans to finish cooling.

Makes 12 muffins.

(Adapted from King Arthur Flour via Honey and Jam)