Springtime is here, which means it is time to “lighten” the calorie load of winter heavy sticky buns and deep fried apple fritters to Peter Rabbit-like muffins filled with wholesome good-for-your ingredients such as carrots, zucchini, apples, nuts, coconut and raisins.

The three recipes below are filled with superfood ingredients that are bound to add an extra skippety-hippety-hop and touch of sweet to all of your glorious spring mornings!

Morning Glory Muffins (taken from Muffins and Biscuits by Heidi Gibson)

Note: Ms. Gibson is author of Grilled Cheese Kitchen and owner of American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in San Francisco

Ingredients:
6 tbsp. salted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs, room temp.
1/3 cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. orange zest (about 1 orange)
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 & 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 & 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger*
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 & 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 & 1/2 cups shredded carrots
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins

*ATG reversed the ginger/cinnamon proportions using 1/4 teaspoon of ginger and 1 teaspoon cinnamon preferring a subtle taste of ginger. Also, we substituted apples for the zucchini and used pecans and raisins. These muffins were delicious with the ginger and orange zest adding a unique and flavorful twist to the otherwise standard morning glory muffin recipes.

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease muffin pan.

2.  In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and the eggs. Add the milk, vanilla, orange zest, and brown sugar and whisk until well combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, and cinnamon.

3.  Add the zucchini, carrots, pecans, currants or raisins, and flour mixture to the butter mixture and use a rubber spatula to carefully fold together until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.

4.  Divide batter equally among the prepared muffin wells, filling each to the top.

5.  Bake until the tops are golden brown and muffins springy to the touch, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes or so before removing from the pan.

Good Morning Muffins (taken from Flour by Joanne Chang)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup hot water
1 small zucchini, grated (about 1 &1/2 cups)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped, toasted
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped (about 1 cup)
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a standard 12-cup muffin tin.

2.  In a medium bowl, stir together the wheat bran and hot water until the bran is completely moistened. Add the zucchini, raisins, pecans, coconut, and apple and stir until well mixed.

3.  Using a mixer beat together the sugar and eggs on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and lightens. On low speed, slowly drizzle in the oil and then the vanilla. Don’t pour the oil in all at once. Add it slowly so it has time to incorporate into the eggs and doesn’t deflate the air you have just beaten into the batter.

4.  In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until well mixed. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and fold carefully just until the dry and wet ingredients are well combined. Then add the bran mixture and fold again just until well combined. Spoon batter into the muffin cups filling the cups to the rim.

5.  Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the muffins are lightly browned on top and spring back when pressed in the middle with a fingertip. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes or so and then remove from pan.

Glorious Morning Muffins (taken from Three Rivers Cookbook III)

Take a Sip of Spring with “Harney & Sons Green Tea with Coconut”, a very smooth easy-to-drink Green Tea with just a hint of coconut – perfect with Glorious Morning Muffins!

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 apple, peeled, cored and grated
3 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla

Instructions:

Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in carrots, raisins, pecans, coconut and apple. In another bowl, beat eggs with canola oil and vanilla and stir the mixture into the flour mixture until the batter is just combined. Spoon batter into well-greased muffin pan cups, filling them to the top, and bake muffins in oven at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes or until springy to the touch. Let muffins cool in the tins for 10 minutes or so before turning them out.

Continue delving into all things Spring with more recipes for:

• maple yogurt pound cake, spice cake with carmel frosting, and lemony cream cheese pancakes with blueberries

• panna cotta, sunny lemon cake and banana cake with cream cheese frosting

• nut bread and chicken salad

• english trifle cake

• all things asparagus

• avocado salad and strawberry chiffon pie

• delicious pancakes for maple syrup season