Healthy Morning Muffins

Way back in the early 80’s (it seems so long ago!), I worked for a company that was headquartered at 8th and Walnut Streets in Philadelphia.  One of the things I liked most about working there -- besides the fact that Best Friend worked there too -- was the little coffee house up the street, Hadwens, that sold the most delicious freshly-baked muffins.   If requested, they would cut the muffin in half, toast it, slather it with butter and wrap it in foil to stay warm during the remainder of your journey to work.  I used to get a Morning Glory Muffin, ordered just that way and I often think about how much I enjoyed that muffin.

I hope I’m not the only one who reminisces about food in a misty-eyed sort of way.

Although the Whole Foods Morning Glory Muffin is quite good, I've never been able to find a veggie-packed muffin quite as good as the one freshly baked in that little coffee shop.

Until Martha saved the day.

This is why I love Martha.  It's like she's in my head, commandeering my thoughts. 

I nearly peed my pants when I saw this recipe for Healthy Morning Muffins.  

Of course, I made them but I made some modifications….I used some whole wheat plus the all-purpose flour, less brown sugar and added some honey,  only two cups of carrots, added one cup of zucchini, just one banana (only because I wanted the other flavors to shine through and sometimes bananas are so needy) and I decreased the raisins to 1/2 cup.

Healthy Morning Muffins

Adapted from: Martha Bakes

INGREDIENTS

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, divided

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 cup wheat flour

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

1/2 cup golden raisins

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 large eggs

2/3 cup skim milk

2 cups shredded carrots (about 6 carrots)

1 cup shredded zucchini

1 medium ripe banana, mashed

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with 10 paper liners.  In a large bowl, whisk together flours, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt until there are no lumps. Stir in 1 3/4 cups oats and raisins. Add oil, eggs, milk, honey, carrots, zucchini, and banana, and stir until blended, being careful to not overmix.

Fill each muffin cup with 3/4 cup batter. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup oats over muffins. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature.

These muffins are delicious…the olive oil and honey give them an organic, earthy flavor balanced nicely by the sweet carrots and zucchini.  There is a hint of banana and that’s the way I like it…not too overpowering.  This recipe takes does not quite take me back to the early 80’s and Hadwens, but it’s pretty close…especially if I toast the muffin and slather it with butter.  I’ll keep tweaking until I achieve nostalgic perfection.

Thanks for the memory, Martha.