Healthy and Hearty Carrot Cake Muffins

This is a variation on my favorite blueberry muffin recipe. It's a delicious healthy take on carrot cake - lots of fiber from the whole wheat flour and rolled oats, and you can use less sugar because the pineapple, raisins and shredded coconut add sweetness. I've also reduced the oil, since the crushed pineapple makes the muffins nice and moist. For an extra treat, top with cream cheese frosting. I love to make extra on weekends and freeze the extras for later.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Yields: 12 regular sized muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1  cup rolled oats
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1  cup buttermilk
• 2  eggs, beaten
• 1⁄3 cup  packed brown sugar
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2  tablespoons butter or 2  tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple (gently press out excess juice)
• 1⁄4 cup  shredded coconut (optional)
• 1 1⁄2 cups  shredded carrots
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped walnuts or 1⁄4 cup  toasted  pepitas
• 1⁄4 cup golden raisin

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with non-stick spray or line with paper baking cups.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk.
3. In a medium bowl, mix buttermilk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, crushed pineapple, and butter/coconut oil with a whisk.
4. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour liquid ingredients in, stirring a few times with a wooden spoon or scraper to incorporate gently. Don't mix too much!
5. Fold in shredded carrots, walnuts or pepitas, shredded coconut, and golden raisins. (Note: if you use bagged shredded carrots, you may want to coarsely chop them so the shreds don't stick out of your muffin).
6. Scoop 1/3 cup of batter per muffin into tin.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
8. Wait patiently for a few minutes before popping your muffins out of the tin!