Healthy Breakfasts: Carrot Muffins

I really love carrot cake.  I don't make it often because I completely understand that if I DID, I would be in total danger of eating the entire thing by myself.  But, carrots do prove to make some very yummy treat-like muffins in the morning!  Just another way to indulge on a Sunday, especially with weather as temperamental as ours has been lately.  Enjoy and let's hope that it hurries up and gets warm soon!!!  P.s.  I think frosting these is entirely optional!  I like them just as well with a little bit of Brummel & Brown or fresh butter, straight out of the oven!

Carrot Muffins
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

• 1 cup raisins (I don't tend to like raisins in my baked goods, so I will usually substitute in chopped dried fruits such as apricots, figs, or dates.)
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (We do either half all purpose flour & half whole wheat flour, or entirely whole wheat flour and up the apple sauce by 1/4 cup.)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I tried pumpkin pie spice mix in these this week and it was AMAZING.)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil (I am trying so hard to find suitable replacements for oil in our baked goods.  Can anyone give me some suggestions?)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (I replaced this with applesauce for ours, as we're trying really hard to cut back on processed sugars, etc., as we take on becoming vegetarians
• 3 cups shredded carrots
  
  -Combine raisins and water in a small bowl. Let soak for 15 minutes. Drain raisins, discard water and set raisins aside.
  -Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.-In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
  -In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil and brown sugar; beat well. Combine egg mixture and flour mixture; mix just until moistened. Fold in carrots and drained raisins. Spoon into prepared muffin cups.-Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes before frosting.