Zucchini Raisin Muffins

You know what's weird?  I'm crazy about putting weird stuff in my desserts, but when it comes to vegetables that are commonly used in sweets (zucchini, carrots, etc), the recipes on this blog are seriously lacking.

I'm 90% sure the absence of carrot cake and/or zucchini bread has to do with my aversion to grating vegetables.  It's just so annoying.  If I had that handy-dandy shredding blade for a food processor then everything would be super easy, but I lost that thing so now I'm stuck doing everything by hand.

It really throws a damper in dessert baking.

But anyway, with zucchini in abundance this time of year, I decided to suck it up and make some zucchini muffins.  And... they were really yummy!

It's been a while since I posted a recipe that's specifically meant for breakfast (as supposed to a dessert that's healthy enough for breakfast, I mean), so I'm glad to present you with some muffins that will definitely spice up your mornings.

Things you should know about these muffins:

• They're hard-core muffins.  They're not petite little muffins that won't keep you full.  Nope, these guys are whole wheat, dense, and packed with zucchini and raisins.
• This isn't one of those recipe where you can't believe it's healthy.  After all, you've got whole wheat flour staring you in the face.  Instead, this recipe is one that makes you rethink how delicious healthy can taste.  Like "Oh my god, even though these are whole wheat and have a vegetable in them, they taste super duper good!"
• Just 24 hours after making these muffins, only 4 were left.  They. Were. Devoured!
• Minimal vegetable grating is required.  Yay!!

Basically, this is an awesome use for zucchini and you should make these muffins this instant.

Zucchini Raisin Muffins

• 1 cup spelt flour
• 1/2 whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini, drained of excess liquid
• 4 egg whites (12 tbsp if using egg whites from a carton)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a muffin tin.  Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In another bowl, combine zucchini, egg whites, maple syrup, applesauce, and vanilla.  Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until a thick batter forms.  Do not overmix.  Gently mix in raisins until incorporated.  Distribute batter between grased muffin tins untiul all batter has been used.  Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until muffins have browned and a toothpick comes out clean.  Store in fridge.  Recipe makes 10-12 muffins. 

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Mini Carrot Cake for One