Zucchini Carrot Muffins

The recipe Sunday was zucchini carrot muffins — grated zucchini and carrot folded into a tender muffin batter. Brayden is eight months and on solids now. The muffins are headed to the freezer in pieces sized for him.

The recipe is below.

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 18 min | Total Time: 33 min | Servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 medium), excess moisture squeezed out
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots (about 1 medium)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well with cooking spray.
2. Prep the vegetables. Shred the zucchini and carrots on the large holes of a box grater. Place the zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to remove as much moisture as possible. Set both aside.
3. Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until combined.
4. Mix wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and applesauce until smooth and well blended.
5. Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined — do not overmix. Fold in the shredded zucchini and carrots until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
6. Fill and bake. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops are lightly golden.
7. Cool. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. For babies under 12 months, check with your pediatrician before serving honey-sweetened versions; substitute maple syrup for an infant-safe option.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 158 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 148mg