i'd rather be baking

As a comforting reminder that some things clearly never change, despite nearly everything else in life turning upside down, I still find myself on the hunt for the perfect breakfast food. Said food must be healthy, providing the sort of nutritional punch you need to get the day off on the right foot; portable, namely suitable for on-the-go munching; and delicious, preferably on the sweet side.

I’ve taken to searching the good ol’ RSS reader for inspiration because, obviously, there are some brilliant folks on the interwebs. I found this recipe via Meghann and it seemed to be perfect: chock full of vegetables (of all things), less sugar and fat than the usual muffin, and the list goes on.

We both love zucchini muffins and their paradoxical yumminess, but these are considerably sweeter than the usual, which turns out to be a good thing. I, of course, couldn’t leave well enough alone and threw in some raisins and walnuts, figuring a little fruit and extra protein couldn’t hurt. I’m not sure I’ve ever been more right.

The quest for the perfect morning munchies lives to see another day, but these come pretty close. I’d venture to guess that your kids might even eat them, never suspecting how much nutrition they’re gobbling down, since my toughest critic is a huge fan of these. I’ll let you guess who that might be.

Zucchini Muffins
Cooking Light

Makes 12 muffins

1 cup whole-wheat flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2  cup sugar
1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4  teaspoons baking powder
1/2  teaspoon baking soda
1/4  teaspoon salt
1 1/3  cups shredded zucchini
1/2  cup fat-free milk
2  tablespoons canola oil
2  tablespoons honey*
1  large egg
1  tablespoon sugar
1/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
1/3 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Whisk together whole-wheat flour and next 6 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl. Combine zucchini, milk, oil, honey, and egg in a small bowl; stir until blended. Make a well in center of flour mixture; add milk mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.

Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over tops of muffins. Bake  for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.

*I used agave nectar in place of honey, and would definitely recommend it.