Deliciously Nutritious Apple and Carrot Muffins
Warm, fresh, delicately sweet muffins don’t have to be high in fat, sugar or calories. Feel free to indulge in these delicious breakfast beauties; they taste so good, you’d never guess they’re good for you.
Carrots contain a great deal of moisture and have a slightly sweet flavor, which makes them an excellent addition to baked goods. They’re also high in fiber, and a great source of vitamins and minerals. Their distinctive orange color, which comes from the large amount of beta carotene they contain, adds a delightfully peachy glow to baked goods.
Carrot and apple are very complimentary flavors. The apples in this recipe contribute nutrients, fiber, and enough sweetness that no additional sweetener is needed. If you have a sweet tooth, make them with the recommended amount of artificial sweetener, or drizzle them with a bit of honey after removing them from the muffin tins.
When baking with artificial sweetener, it’s important to remember that your finished product will not brown as something made with sugar does. To help your muffins look deliciously golden brown, there are a few tricks you can employ. One of them is to lightly spray the muffins with cooking spray before putting them in the oven. Another way to help your muffins brown without sugar is to lightly brush them with some sort of milk product before baking. Soy, rice, or almond milk, regular milk, and evaporated milk
all work very well.
Guilt-Free Carrot and Apple Bran Muffins
*2 cups raisin bran cereal
*1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
*3/4 cup sucralose artificial sweetener
*1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
*2 teaspoons cinnamon
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1 egg OR egg substitute – half of a banana, mashed with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
*3/4 cup buttermilk OR regular milk or soymilk mixed with a teaspoon of white vinegar
*1/4 cup canola, corn or vegetable oil
*1 cup tart apple, peeled (optional) and chopped fine
*3/4 cup carrots, washed and grated
*1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the first six ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, beat the egg or egg substitute,milk and oil until well combined, but do not overbeat. Stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients until they are moistened. Fold in the apple, carrots and walnuts, if desired. Prepare muffin tin by lining with paper baking cups or spraying with nonstick cooking spray. Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full of batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for about five minutes before removing them from the pan to a wire rack. For the best flavor, serve while still warm.
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