RecipeShare: Yum-Yum Veggie Muffins

I am continually craving muffins and various breakfast breads, just feels like breakfast needs to have some complex carbs involved in order to be satisfying. I'm not sure if I should attribute this to the fact I have serious farmer-genes on both sides or because I love to bake. Or maybe because Dad always had cereal, bowls and small glasses of milk (to top the cereal, of course, not to drink- that's what the glass of OJ was for) set out for us every school day while I was growing up, thereby creating a ritual of starting each day with grains. At any rate, I'm stuck with it. I want bread for breakfast.

Thus, my dieter's delight when I stumbled upon a Zucchini Muffin recipe on Weelicious, a site apparently devoted to Moms looking for wholesome recipes and ideas. I'm not a Mom, but this site popped up when searching for a zucchini recipe, and boy am I glad it did! I, of course, have tweaked and prodded the recipe. I wanted to make it fat-free, fully whole-grain and use more spices and more veggies (there's even a vegan variation!). I can proudly say, these muffins are coworker-approved, even by the vegan guy. Ha!

Enjoy!

(Decadence = A muffin topped with cream cheese and apple butter. Less guilt if you use fat free cream cheese and all natural, apple juice-sweetened apple butter... Wowza.)

Yum-Yum Veggie Muffins

Makes 12 muffins with nicely-domed tops

Whisk together in a large bowl:

1 c. white whole wheat flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. Saigon cinnamon (spicier, fuller flavor)

Dash of ground cloves

Several gratings of fresh nutmeg (microplane zester, every cook's friend)

(OR 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

In a separate, small bowl, whisk:

1/2 c. egg substitute*

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/3 c. unsweetened applesauce

2/3 c. agave nectar

1 c. finely grated zucchini (skin and all)

1/2 c. grated carrots

Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, stir until just combined.

Scoop into papered muffin cups, filling to the brim.

Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes.

Sprinkle raw sugar on top the last few minutes of baking for a sweet crunch.

*Substitute 1 tbsp. Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 1/4 c. warm water for vegan muffins.