We all love a good breakfast muffin, and this one is jam-packed of nutrients, as well as other delicious gems. I modified the recipe slightly from Health magazine, based on my personal tastes and what I had available in the house, but I’d say they turned out pretty tasty. Now, for those of you who don’t like the taste of whole wheat, well, you won’t like these. Sorry. They taste healthy, but I love it!
Ingredients {from Health Magazine}
2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (I only had regular whole wheat flour – it was probably a little denser than I’d like, but still worked)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (I did not have this on hand)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 orange
3/4 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
2 cups grated carrots
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, divided (I omitted this, and added about 1/2 cup of chopped dark chocolate to add a little sweetness)
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the first 5 ingredients (through salt). In another bowl, grate 1 tsp orange zest and squeeze 1/4 cup juice. Whisk in the sugar, egg whites, oil, and yogurt. Stir into flour mixture just until moistened. Fold in carrots and 1 1/2 cups cranberries.
3. Divide batter among muffin cups. Top with pistachios and remaining cranberries.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean (22-25 minutes). Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Unmold; cool completely on rack.