Zucchini carrot oatmeal muffins are a great way to get a whole lot of goodness in one muffin. Don’t you just love that these muffins have zucchini, carrots, applesauce, oatmeal, raisins and even nuts if you like, and don’t forget the whole wheat!
Now that is a whole lot of goodness in a muffin. It is just amazing all the healthy foods that you are able to pack into these zucchini carrot oatmeal muffins; it is kind of like some smoothies are.
These zucchini carrot oatmeal muffins make a nice breakfast or a nice side to soup or salad. Ha ha I had to laugh, my son that is married doesn’t like to eat very healthy and he ate one of these and said that he was going to have to move out because these muffins were way too healthy for him, and that they had some good substance to them.
He is living with us for a couple of weeks until he moves and takes my adorable grandson to Idaho. I am so excited for him to try a new adventure. But it sure is hard to let those little ones move. XOXOXO!
To Make this Recipe You’Il Need the following ingredients:
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs + 1 large egg white
- 3/4 cup oil
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 3/4 cup raisins
Instructions
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and oil. Stir in grated zucchini and carrots. Add to dry ingredients and stir until combined.
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3. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full and bake for approx. 20 minutes. They are done when a knife inserted comes out clean, and tops spring back when lightly touched.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST ZUCCHINI CARROT OATMEAL MUFFINS:
- Spray the pan generously with nonstick cooking spray. This is my preference over using paper liners because the liners have a tendency to stick sometimes and you can lose a precious raisin or two.
- Squeeze the liquid out of the carrots and zucchini. You want them to be moist, but not mushy. Take a clean flour sack towel or several paper towels stacked together, and wrap the shredded veggies in it. Twist the ends until tightly wrapped, then gently squeeze. This is best done over a bowl to catch the liquid.
- Mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately. The wet ingredients can be mixed as long as you like and it won’t affect the muffins. Once the dry and wet ingredients mix though, the gluten is activated and over-mixing can cause a very dense muffin. These muffins are already pretty dense with the oatmeal and the whole wheat, so you want to keep this in mind when mixing.
- Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 of the way full. Did you know, an ice cream scoop is the perfect size for filling muffin cups? Use an ice cream scoop for muffins and cupcakes and they will be even in size every time!
Nutrition Tip
Carrot’s claim to fame is eye health and that is because they are a great source of beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A in the liver. Vitamin A is an important nutrient for the health of our bones, teeth, skin and eyes. These crunchy, tasty vegetables are also a great source of fiber, potassium, vitamins B6 and K, and antioxidants. In addition, carrots rank low on the glycemic index which can help regulate blood glucose levels. We are mostly familiar with the orange-colored carrot, but look for the purple, red, black, white and yellow varieties as well. Eat them raw as a snack or add them to salads, stir fries, soups, and smoothies. Carrots are extremely versatile and can be steamed, mashed, grated, baked and stewed. Try carrot fries as a healthy alternative to French fries.
