Carrot Zucchini Apple Muffins!

I've always been a big fan of muffins... chocolate chip banana... chocolate chip banana... mmm. Ha ha, well I was in the mood to try something new and different. I've never really had too many of the 'breakfast/feel healthier' type of muffins and I definitely have never made them. I have so many recipes for them, so it was the perfect thing to try on a cold 'winter' (yes it feels like winter over here in winterpeg... ok well not winter, but definitely a cool fall) day. I found a recipe that was pretty simple and with ingredients I mostly had (I didn't have too much time and didn't want to completely screw them up). I found this recipe in the Winnipeg Free Press quite a while ago (and actually kept it and then found it when needed? when does that happen?). It wasn't a vegan recipe, but very easily adaptable to one (I used nondairy milk instead of skim milk and egg replacer instead of egg... I would have used flax seeds/water for egg, but the recipe already called for flax seeds!). Here it goes!

Carrot Zucchini Apple Muffins

Makes: 12 medium-sized muffins

Ingredients:

1 eggs worth of egg replacer

2 Tbsp canola oil

1/2 cup nondairy milk (used unsweetened vanilla almond breeze... it's the only thing I ever have!)

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup ground flax seed

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 cup diced, peeled apple

1/4 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup grated zucchini (I probably used 3/4-1 cup)

Directions:

-Beat 'egg' lightly in a large bowl and then add oil, nondairy milk, brown sugar and vanilla and mix well

-In another bowl, mix the flour, flax seed, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together and then add to egg mixture (stir just until combined)

-Stir in apple, carrot and zucchini

-Spoon into 10 paper lined medium muffin cups filling almost to top

-Bake at 400 F for 18 to 20 minutes or until firm to touch

These were very delicious. I think one thing I would change would be the baking time. Although I took mine (exactly 12 muffins) out at 21 minutes and they were definitely firm to touch they seemed to be not baked as much as I would like. They were 'done', but a little 'chewy'? I would bake them a few more minutes and instead of going until firm to touch, I would wait until they are browned on top (not just light brown, but crisp brown). I think this would put them just over the top! They are a great, healthy feeling muffin (although I would like to try to replace the brown sugar fully or partially with something else... I think agave would make the dough too liquid, but maybe sucanat or something else?) and they aren't too large for a nice snack!

Enjoy!!