Pumpkin Carrot Muffins with Craisins

Vegetables, Oh Vegetables....

I've done my best to NOT hide vegetables from my kids.  It feels almost as though I'm doing them a disservice to them by letting them think that their meal doesn't include vegetables.  

That being said, I'm not above throwing unexpected vegetables into different foods. We then play the "guess the hiding vegetable" game where the kids try to decipher the flavor, texture or color of what they're eating and figure out what's going on inside.

Here, I used a recipe from Deb Perelmen, Smitten Kitchen Goddess.  I've modified the recipe by adding three finely grated medium carrots and about 3/4 cup of craisins.  The result?  Moist, juicy and hey... the kids ate muffins AND CARROTS! 

These are great for breakfast, dessert or snack!  They also served as the "bonus item" to my weekly clients for the week of October 8, 2012.

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen's Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Carrot Muffins with Craisins1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can)
1/3 cup vegetable oil3 medium carrots, finely grated
3/4 cup craisins
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice*
1 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Put liners in muffin cups.

Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, carrots, craisins, pumpkin pie spice, 1 cup sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.

Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.

Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

*I didn't have pumpkin pie spice, so I threw together about 1/4 tsp each of: cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger and some freshly grated nutmeg.

Eat, Drink and Be Yummy!