Peanut Butter Muffins with Carrot & Banana (GF)

This is a delicious, moist muffin that is full of wholesome ingredients you can feel good about giving your kids. These muffins freeze and re-heat well, too. They have protein from the peanut butter and egg, whole grains*, and even a vegetable! A word of caution--they are not an overly sweet muffin; however, our family feels the honey and banana give these just the perfect touch of sweetness. Feel free to substitute a different orange veggie for the carrot. Pumpkin or sweet potato would be other good choices.

Yields 12 muffins

1/2 c. mashed banana
1/2 c. pureed cooked carrots (or sweet potato or pumpkin...mmmm!!)
1/2 c. natural (no-added sugar) peanut butter
1/4--1/2 c honey (I used 1/4 c.)
1 egg
1/4 c .softened butter or coconut oil
1/4 c. packed brown sugar or sucanat
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. sea salt
1 c. whole wheat flour (or use oat flour to make these GF)

2 T. ground flax seed (optional)
 

1.  Mix all dry ingredients, EXCEPT BROWN SUGAR in a small bowl.

2.  In a larger mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients and blend throughly.               

3.  Gradually add dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Batter may be slightly lumpy.

4.  Fold in the brown sugar and stir just once or twice. This will create a strudel like crunch on the top!

5.  Spoon batter into 12 greased or paper lined muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 min. Makes 12 muffins.

**I sprinkled these with large crystal, turbinado (raw unrefined) sugar during the last 3 min of baking to create a bakery-like appearance.

Adapted from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld