Healthy Carrot Muffins

So these muffins were a half-win/half-FAIL. Not an EPIC FAIL, mind you. Just half-fail.

They were light. They were fluffy. They were moist. They were filled with chewy dried cranberries, deliciously sweet pineapple, and wonderful bits of carrots. In a moment of pure genius, I replaced some of the yogurt with carrot baby food to enhance the carrot flavor. And THEY WERE ONLY 131 CALORIES EACH!

So what went wrong, you ask?  Well, I'll tell you.

They tasted like nothing. NOTHING. Like light "crumb-air", as Jack described it.

But I will tell you this. This recipe has tons of potential because the texture was absolute perfection. I just have to be a bit more heavy handed on the spices.  If I can get the flavor balance correct, these will be part of my repetoire forever.

Do you hear me, muffins? I'll spice you up, yet!

Healthy Spiced Carrot Muffins adapted from Bloomalicious

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all purpose white flour
3/4 cup all purpose whole wheat flower
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3  teaspoons ground cinnamon
2  teaspoons ground ginger
2  teaspoons superfine sugar
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup plain low or non fat yogurt
1/4 cup carrot baby food
2 tbsp sunflower oil
8 oz canned pineapple chunks in juice drained and whirled in food processor to coarse consistency
9 oz carrots, grated
1/4 cup cranberries
3/8 cup almonds, slivered and whirled for just a pulse or two in food processor

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Oil (or use cooking spray) on muffin pan (12 cup small, 6 cup large) or line with muffin paper liners. 

Combine flours, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and superfine sugar in mixing bowl and stir till blended. 

Whisk egg whites with yogurt and oil  in separate bowl.  Add pineapple chunks, carrots, raisins, and almonds and combine thoroughly but don't over stir.  Add into the flour mixture and combine till just mixed together. 

Divide batter between muffin tin cups.  Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Comments

[Megan]

Bah! Health food! Stop - it's burning my eyes!

Tastes like nothing? With all those ingredients, I'm very surprised. But you can't let them get away with it - bring on the spices!

And when you get it down, send one to me :)

[Tracey]

Wow, only 131 calories!??! That's amazing! Hope you can spice them up a bit so they have great flavor to match the texture.

[Cheri]

Weird. I made carrot cake today and it WAS an epic fail. I have made the recipe before but for some reason this time it was greasy. *shudder* Cake is just no supposed to be greasy. But, these muffins sound wonderful and crumb air definitely sounds a lot better then a grease ball. Want to trade?

[Jill]

The recipe sure looks like it would produce a tasty muffin. Maybe it actually needs a little more sweetness? If you perfect these, I want to know about it!

[Ashley]

Ooo can't wait to see your perfect version of these. =) I've made many an unsuccessful attempt at healthifying a muffin. It's always exciting when it's tasty and healthy.

[Juliana]

I love small size...so the temptation of cutting yourself a big piece of cake or anything is not there :-). This muffins looks fantastic for 131 calories.

[Eliana]

Well it seems like you are off to a good start with these. If nothing else, they look super cute!

[Sara]

A work in progress. I love "crumb air", I will find a way to work this into a conversation soon.

[Wendy]

Too bad the taste wasn't there. Luckily spices add no calories!

[The Duo Dishes]

That's crazy! Seems like a tablespoon of cinnamon and over half a tablespoon of ginger would stand out. We say try cardamom and fresh ginger next time. They both pack a punch!

[Jennifer]

I wonder about adding candied ginger? And maybe a sprinkling of turbinado sugar on top?

You could also sub in a flavored yogurt, yoplait light makes a cinnamon roll flavor, or pineapple might work well.

[Madam Chow]

These muffins look interesting, and I love the sound of the texture, but that breakfast pizza in the previous post is distracting me!

[jenn]

As much as I love carrots, I've never been much for carrot cake or muffins. I don't know why. I think you may have just changed my mind even when you say this was a half-fail.

[lisaiscooking]

Sounds great. Maybe molasses or dark brown sugar instead of white sugar?

[food librarian]

Baby food in a muffin?! Oh, that is a fail for me. Hee hee. At least they looked very very cute!

[Jen Schall @ My Kitchen Addiction]

Sorry to hear they tasted like nothing! They look good, though! Perhaps some applesauce to keep it moist and add some more flavor?

[Natasha - 5 Star Foodie]

These muffin recipe sounds like they should be pretty flavorful. Hope you can figure out the right additions because it sounds like it will be a winner recipe. I do love the sound of 131 calories.

[Jessie]

I notice you do not have any vanilla extract! You should try adding a tablespoon of vanilla extract andddd you may want to use splenda sugar if you want to add more sweetness to help keep the muffins at 131 calories :)

[Laura]

I just had a similar let down with some spice muffins, but mine had sweet potato in them. Added all the proper spices, they smelled amazing, but the taste was a total letdown. I might suggest maple syrup, or carmelizing carrot chunks in butter and brown sugar first, then mashing and adding in. Hope they work out!

-Laura

[Lauren B]

Perhaps add 3/4 cup of Splenda (or erythritol, xylitol, whatever sugar-free sweetener you like), and increase the salt to 1/2 teaspoon? They sure LOOK yummy!