Carrot Muffins

Another Ellie Krieger recipe.  Some people have their Martha or Paula, but I have my Ellie. I also have a bag of carrots sitting in the fridge with a dashed dream of being part of a buffalo chicken salad that never was.  I hate wasting food, especially when it is organic (aka expensive).  I do have to say though that organic carrots DO taste better, by the time the first batch of muffins finished cooking I had already gnawed through 2 carrots.  Anyway, I remember the boy saying on a few occasions that he likes carrot cake.  I've never had it, I've only been exposed to it at weddings and there is no way I'm going to eat a veggie-laden baked good when I could be eating chocolate cake.  Anyway, I figured I would take one for the team and make him these healthy muffins.  And then I baked them and I ate way more than one.  Hehe.  These are supposedly cupcakes, but as you can tell I've been calling them muffins.  They are moist, dense, and perfectly spiced.  The next time that I make these (soon), I'll add a couple tbsp of ground flax and some raisins.  Maybe even the cranberries that I need to use up.  The possibilities are endless.  Rating 8.5/10.

Update- five days later and the few left (it's hard eating 24 muffins between two people) still taste FRESH!  

Recipe by Ellie Krieger
Ingredients

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar (my second batch I used 1/2 cup, and it turned out just as fantastic as the full-sugar batch)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup natural applesauce (I used my cranapple sauce)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts (optional- I didn't add any)

Turn your muffin into a cupcake with this optional cream cheese frosting!

• 4 ounces 1/3 fat cream cheese
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine the dry ingredients.
Mix together the oil, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla.
Blend the wet and dry mixtures together.
Stir in the shredded carrots and the optional walnuts.
Place muffin liners in a muffin tin or spray with baking pam.
Distribute the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups.
Bake for 20-22 minutes.
Let cool and store covered in the refrigerator.

Optional frosting (I didn't add any)
Using an electric blender mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
Pipe onto cooled muffins.