Morning Glory Muffins

These Morning Glory muffins are full of everything you'd expect in the bakery favorite—carrots, apple and raisins, topped with nuts and toasted wheat germ. But most versions are high in fat so we substituted apple butter for much of the fat, which makes each bite superbly moist and tender. If raisins aren't your favorite, substitute an equal amount of the dried fruit of your choice.

Recipe 18 muffins; Active Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups grated carrots, (4 medium)

1 apple, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 cup raisins

1 large egg

2 large egg whites, or 4 teaspoons dried egg whites (see Ingredient Note), reconstituted according to package directions

1/2 cup apple butter

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, or pecans

2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 18 muffin cups with cooking spray.

Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in carrots, apple and raisins. Whisk egg, egg whites, apple butter, oil and vanilla in a medium bowl.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about three-fourths full. Combine walnuts and wheat germ in a small bowl; sprinkle over the muffin tops.

Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 15 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool.

TIPS & NOTES

Make Ahead Tip: Get a head start on your morning muffins the night before by mixing up the dry and liquid ingredients separately (refrigerate liquids). In the morning, combine the two, scoop and bake.

Ingredient note: Dried egg whites are pasteurized—a wise choice when making meringue toppings that may not reach 160°F (the temperature at which eggs are considered "safe"). You'll find them in the baking or natural-foods section of most supermarkets. Reconstitute according to package directions.

NUTRITION

Per muffin: 163 calories; 4 g fat ( 0 g sat , 2 g mono ); 12 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 2 g fiber; 154 mg sodium; 149 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fruit, 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1 fat