This started out as a recipe for bran muffins, but since my version doesn’t actually contain any bran I had to call them something else. Also, the original recipe didn’t have frosting but that was just a damn tragedy. Everything should have frosting. They’re just about as healthy as a muffin can get before you move into inedible cardboard territory and contain both a fruit (wait, are raisins a fruit? if they are then it contains TWO fruits) and a vegetable so you can feel good about feeding them to toddlers. Just don’t feed them TOO many because, hello, how much fiber does one 25 lb child NEED?

The best part about these muffins is, like my cereal bars, you can add or subtract based on what you have on hand and/or can find at your grocery store. I couldn’t find bran flour so I used wheat germ and substituted whole wheat flour for the white. If you wanted them to be more cake-like I would definitely use white flour (OR try the white whole wheat flour I saw at the store but was too dumb to actually put in my cart thanks to having both kids with me). You can add nuts, dried cranberries or blueberries, zucchini or squash. If you don’t like cinnamon use cloves or more nutmeg (actually, I might throw more spices in anyway the next time I make them.) And of course, if you hate deliciousness you can always omit the frosting.

Here’s what you need:

What, you don't buy baking soda in giant 10 lbs bags?

1 ½ Cups whole wheat flour
½ cup wheat germ
¾ cup ground flax (I found it near the oatmeal at the store)
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ cup milk (I used 1%)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons applesauce
2 cups shredded carrots
2 apples, peeled & diced
1 cup raisins

Mix all the dry ingredients:

Add the wet ingredients, fruit and carrots:

Fill muffin tin cups about 3/4 of the way (I used paper liners, you could just spray the tin with some Pam):

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. While they cool, make the frosting.

Cream cheese frosting:

2 8-oz packages reduced fat cream cheese
½ cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Beat it all together:

This makes MORE than enough frosting for the muffins – you could probably halve the recipe easily. But then you wouldn’t have nearly as much left over to eat with a spoon store in the fridge for next time.

The muffins are sort of carrot cake-y and a little dense but not too much. You can’t really taste the apple so if you WANTED to I would add at least another whole apple. I ate two to taste test them and now I am STUFFED – they are really really filling thanks to the whole wheat, wheat germ and flax seed, although none of those flavors are distinguishable from the muffin as a whole. With the frosting you could easily trick children into thinking they’re cupcakes, especially if you added an extra half-cup of sugar to the muffins.

Enjoy!