Carrot Muffins

I can't believe I've abandoned you for nine months. 

But I did it. 

When something isn't fun anymore, you have to cut it out. It all became too much. The feeling of disappointment I felt every time I analyzed my photos and compared them to other food blogs discouraged me. The instagram mania made me feel terrible. 

So stupid. 

So silly. 

But how could I leave forever, for good? How could I leave you, my little creative spot? 

I created you almost six years ago. I am still here and this time around I decided to treat you differently. 

I decided to simplify things a little bit and DO IT FOR ME. For growth and for creative leisure.

The Recipe: Cookie and Kate

INGREDIENTS

1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups peeled and grated carrots (about 3 large or up to 6 small/medium)

½ cup roughly chopped walnuts

½ cup raisins, tossed in 1 teaspoon flour

⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup maple syrup

2 eggs, preferably at room temperature

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If necessary, grease all 12 cups on your muffin tin with butter or non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Blend well with a whisk. In a separate, small bowl, toss the raisins with 1 teaspoon flour so they don’t stick together. Add the grated carrots, chopped walnuts and floured raisins to the other ingredients and stir to combine.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil and maple syrup and beat together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then add the yogurt and vanilla and mix well. (If the coconut oil solidifies in contact with cold ingredients, gently warm the mixture in the microwave in 30 second bursts.)

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok). Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Bake muffins for 13 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

5. Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. If you have leftover muffins, store them, covered, at room temperature for two days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze leftover muffins for up to 3 months.