meet my morning babysitter... the veggie multigrain muffin.

thank you macbloggersons for coming through with your deep wells of wisdom. my mac is getting more intuitive--- or i am getting more intuitive--- or we are getting more intuitive together.  ;)
i am still hunched over my keyboard, brows knitted together, watching aperture and photoshop tutorials in the late night hours. eating muffins in dark rooms lit by nothing but the eery glow of a computer screen... oh that's right...
i promised muffins.. and muffins you will have. :)

now a disclaimer---
these are stick to your ribs and eat as a meal muffins.
if you are thinking dessert disguised as a muffin you will want to smile at the pictures and mosey right along.
if on the other hand you are required to procure snacks for small people, sometimes don't feel like cooking, or will grab at any opportunity to sleep for 15 more minutes even if that means the children are feeding themselves muffins for breakfast in the kitchen....

then these are for you.

you first must begin with this problem  opportunity...

 

all these zucchini and yellow squash were given to me by friends desperately trying to unload their abundance.

if you know people who give you squash... then you know the right kind of people.

words to live by.

the food processor is your friend.

i chop everything i can get my hands on when organic zucchini and squash and carrots are in season and cheap--- like right NOW... then i make 'muffin packs'. just layer in the amount you will need to make a batch and freeze.

helpers are so helpful. ;)

going...

going...

gone.

i always make a double batch and freeze half. i usually keep the ones we are eating in a glass jar in the fridge. is that normal? do you have to keep muffins in the fridge? i don't know... they seem really moisty to be out on the counter. i guess food borne illnesses are your call... 

but mine live in the fridge until i eat them all which is within 2 days of making them since they are a culinary trifecta. 

healthy, already made, and yummy.

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directions:

veggie multigrain muffins

1 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 c whole wheat flour

3/4 c oat flour or old fashioned oats

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

2 1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/4 t ground nutmeg

3 eggs

1/2 c coconut oil or 1 1/2 c ground flax

1 cup vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup applesauce

3/4 c honey or a blend of honey/molasses/maple syrup

2 t vanilla

1 c shredded zucchini

1 c shredded yellow squash

1 c shredded carrot

1/2 c chopped pecans

1/2 c raisins

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees. lightly grease muffin cups...

(i use my coconut oil to grease them just with my fingers.. it gives a nice little flavor kick to them.. i have gotten us completely off the vegetable/canola but you can use that if you want to. )

2. in a bowl sift together the flours, oats, salt, baking powder,baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.

(if you don't want the oats whole you can whirl them in your food processor and that basically would be like oat flour. also, if you like cinnamon don't be afraid to use more but be careful with the nutmeg-- a little goes along way.)

3. in separate bowl beat eggs, coconut oil or flax, applesauce, yogurt, honey and vanilla.

(this is where it gets a little free-form... since i make a double batch i use half coconut oil and half ground flax.. you can sub other oils if you have to. coconut oil is a little pricey but it is sooo good for you. i use a blend of honey, molasses and the %100 natural maple syrup. the more molasses you use the darker and richer your muffins will be.. if you don't use any they will be more golden and classically sweet)

4. mix the dry ingredients into the wet. fold in chopped zucchini, squash, carrots, pecans and raisins.

scoop into muffin cups.  a single batch will make about 24 muffins depending on how high you fill them.

5. bake 18-20 minutes. cool 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack. 

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so there we have it. 

my kids wake up every day between 6:30 and 7:15. at that point i usually have luci in bed with me and we have fallen back asleep and when the kids come with growley tummies and whiny voices stumbling into my room ..i can say with relief.. 

there are muffins in the fridge. :)