Healthy Breakfast: More Muffins!

We have another carrot muffin recipe here!  Well, okay carrot and zucchini, but you get my meaning.  I keep returning to things combined with carrots because they just have such a 'stick to your ribs' quality.  The muffins we made this week also froze, reheated, thawed, etc., really well too- which is another win in my book.  Now that it's summer vacation, breakfast isn't quite the hurry it used to be, but I still like to make things that last for a week so we can have a variety.

These are power packed muffins, that's the least I can say.  Loads of fiber, protein, and the good carbohydrates that help fuel your brain until lunch time.  We usually eat these with a serving of yogurt and fruit too and are well and full until lunchtime.  Actually since we've been ALL diagnosed as slightly lactose intolerant- even when we just serve these muffins with a side of fruit alone, none of us have been hungry until lunch.

Now, usually things with tons of wheat, wheat germ, veggies, and fruit, etc., that happen to be baked ends up being a cement brick you could throw at someone's head and give them a concussion.  However, the thing with muffins is simple.  Stir until they are BARELY moistened, and then LET THE OVEN DO THE MAGIC.  Repeat the mantra of muffins with me, "Let the oven do the WORK."

Carrot-Zucchini Yogurt Muffins
Makes a dozen and can double or triple easily.  Adapted from Martha Stewart.

-Vegetable-oil Cooking Spray
-3/4 C Whole Wheat Flour
-1/2 C Flour
-3/4 C (3 oz) pecans, toasted and finely chopped (optional)
-1/4 C tasted wheat germ (If you don't have wheat germ- you know what subs in well? Grape Nuts!  No kidding!)
-1/3 C Dark Brown Sugar
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/4 tsp baking soda
-3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
-2 C peeled and grated carrots (2-3 medium carrots grated on the large holes of a box grater)
-1 large zucchini or 1 1/2 C, peeled and grated, also on the large holes of a box grater
-1/2 C plain, low fat sugar
-2 large eggs separated
-2 Tbs unsulfured molasses
1 tsp grated orange zest

-Preheat oven to 400 and spray a 12 cup muffin tin with vegetable spray.
-Whisk together pecans and the dry ingredients
-Stir together carrots, zucchini, yogurt, egg yolks, molasses, and orange zest in a large bowl.
-Fold flour mixture in until JUST combined and moistened.
-In a chilled metal bowl, with an electric mixer, whisk and beat egg whites util shiny, stiff peaks form.  Gently fold into the muffin mixture.
-Spoon batter into muffin tins, filling just until the brims.  Bake about 25 minutes, until tops bounce back when gently pressed and a toothpick comes out clean.
-Cool and serve or store in airtight container at room temperature.  Can be frozen.