Health Nut Muffins

I LOVE these muffins. Teagan thinks they're "cupcakes" and gobbles them up, but they're secretly full of great stuff. I try to keep them on hand for healthy snacks when I don't have time to make something. I double the batch and put them in the freezer so that they don't all get eaten in 2 or 3 days. :)

The original recipe is here on allrecipes.com. I changed and added a lot so here is my version:

Muffins
2 Cup Shredded peeled apples (1 apple makes about 1 cup)
1 1/3 Cup Sugar

1 Cup craisins or raisins
1 Cup finely shredded carrot (about 2-3 carrots)
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 Cup Sour Cream (optional)
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 1/2 Cups Whole wheat flour
2 tbls Ground Flax Seed (optional)
1 tbls baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tbls Cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

1. Put the shredded apples and sugar in a bowl and let them sit for 10 minutes. (As you can see I accidentally through in the carrots and had to try to take them back out). I really wonder if this step is necessary, but I'm too afraid to leave it out.

2. Mix all the other ingredients in the bowl. I am bad and never mix the dry ingredients separately, I HATE dirtying extra bowls, but it probably wouldn't hurt to do that since EVERY baking recipe says to.



3. Pour the batter into your cupcake pan. Using cup cake holders isn't mandatory, I've sprayed my cupcake pan before with pam and put the batter straight in and it works fine. But these sure make clean-up easier

4. Bake for 20 minutes at 350. I would do the toothpick check. The original recipe says 25-30 minutes, YA RIGHT! They would be crispy if you let them go that long!

Note: All of the items that I marked as "optional" I didn't use today because I didn't have them on hand. I have used those items in the past though and the muffins are still delicious, if not better. They didn't raise quite as pretty before, I think because of the flax seed, but they still tasted fantastic.