Fruit- and Veggie-Packed Muffins
Who doesn’t need to eat more fruits and veggies? (You know who you are.)
I like to get mine in the form of tender, moist muffins.
OK, my idea of fruits and veggies comes wrapped in butter, eggs, vanilla and sugar. But that got your attention, right?
These “Zucchini, Carrot, and Cranberry Muffins” come courtesy of “The SoNo Baking Company Cookbook” (Clarkson Potter). The new cookbook is by third-generation baker, John Barricelli, who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, NY, then worked at Le Bernardin in New York and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, before opening his SoNo Baking Company & Cafe in South Norwalk, Conn.
If you’ve got zucchini taking over your backyard like zombies with no place else to go, this is the recipe for you. If you have cranberries stashed in your freezer from last Thanksgiving and have been wondering what the heck to do with them, this recipe is for you.
I added 1/3 cup chopped walnuts to the batter, just because I love nuts. Infused with cinnamon and vanilla, the muffins bake up with a nice, light yet hearty texture. The carrots add sweetness, the cranberries a slight tang, and the zucchini a faint grassy note.
Enjoy this alternative way of getting your fruits and veggies.
Zucchini, Carrot, and Cranberry Muffins
(Makes 12)
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup finely grated carrot (about 2 medium)
3/4 cup finely grated zucchini (about 1 medium)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole fresh or frozen (unthawed) cranberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Set oven rack in the middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a standard 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray, or generously butter with softened butter; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs, grated carrot and zucchini, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until flour has been absorbed. Fold in the cranberries and walnuts.
Use a 2-inch (1/4 cup) ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.
Bake, rotating pan about two-thirds of the way through the baking time, until muffins are golden brown, the tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Use an offset spatula or table knife to gently lift and turn the muffins on their sides in the muffin cups. Let cool in the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Adapted from “The SoNo Baking Company Cookbook” by John Barricelli
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Tuesday, 27. July 2010 5:43
Okay, you have convinced me that I need to eat more fruits and veggies – in the form of delicious muffins!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 5:47
These look fantastic, I think I may have to make some today!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 5:52
For sure about adding nuts! Walnuts are my fav!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 6:04
A great addition! I love the ingredients you used.
Cheers,
Rosa
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 6:27
I love baking with zucchini, and yet I’ve never connected the dots and added cranberries. Great idea! We’ll have to give it a go one of these times when I can’t help but sacrifice a cool house in the name of baked goods.
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 7:14
What an interesting recipe! I would never think to pair cranberries with any type of vegetable, but why not? They sure are pretty!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 7:30
Fascinating . . I never thought of eating a muffin as a way of getting veggies, but I like the idea!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 7:43
This definitely sounds unique to say the least. I have to say I am usually a pure fruit girl in my muffins, but I would be willing to be adventurous with this one.
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 7:55
Berries meet with fruits in a muffin… simply awesome!!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 8:42
Love the color in these delectable looking muffins. And thank you for something to do with the zucchini that will soon be taking over my life – okay – just my garden and my kitchen – but it feels like it has gained control!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 9:03
These muffins look delicious! Zucchini is such a great addition to baked goodness. It’s like these muffins are tiny little zucchini breads for one. Sweet!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 9:07
What a great idea to sneak some veggies in the muffin! Got to make some for my little tot.
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 9:49
So No baking for me…how appropriate is that for me
I like the green and red look of these muffins…hey, it looks “Christmasy”
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 10:35
I agree with Tigerfish, they do look Christmasy!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 12:44
It seems obvious but I never tried the cranberry-zucchini blend either. Thanks for inspiring idea.
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 12:59
a wonderful excuse to eat veggies
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 13:00
P.s.
If you like zucchini muffins, also check out my savory version (with basil, pine-nuts and mozzarella)…makes for a great summer appetizer!
http://www.ztastylife.com/2010/04/mini-zucchini-basil-pinenut-muffins.html
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 13:22
Awesome! Those are the most colourful muffins I’ve ever seen!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 13:33
very lovely to look at and if there’s fruits and veggies, they must be good for you. I love the combination especially the walnuts!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 14:10
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by CarolynJung, SH.HAN. SH.HAN said: RT @CarolynJung: Zucchini, carrots and cranberries. The tfifecta of goodness in one muffin. http://bit.ly/arESiZ [...]
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 15:40
I am so happy to know that there is someone else who has stuff frozen in their freezer from last Thanksgiving. And your muffins look so delicious!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 16:56
Wow … these look incredible! I wonder, can you sub in whole wheat pastry flour? (And in answer to your question about mango extract … just Google “natural mango extract” and you’ll get the right one. You probably have to mail order it, but it’s worth it.)
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 17:52
Yum, I love my Zucchini slice, so I’ll have to try these Zucchini muffins!!!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 18:22
Great idea! and I love the colors!
This is definitely a dietitian kind of muffin.
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 18:36
This is definitely a good way to encourage people to start eating fruits & veggies
I’m not a big fan of zucchini but I’m intrigued and eager to give this recipe a try. 
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 18:39
wow look at those rich colours, I just can only stand here gazing at eat over and over again! still very satisfying!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 19:26
Justine: You probably could sub in some whole wheat pastry flour for the regular all-purpose white. Would make the muffins even more good-for-you.
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 19:46
Ooh! love the little specks of color…how pretty! Never thought to use both fruit and veggies together in a muffin!
Tuesday, 27. July 2010 22:30
O, those sound delicious. When I was a kid, I used to make zucchini bread (I can’t remember where I found the recipe but I remember it was a good way to use my parent’s garden zucchini). This sounds even more delicious!
Wednesday, 28. July 2010 0:08
That’s healthy muffins that I would love to try. Thanks very much for sharing.
Wednesday, 28. July 2010 3:11
Now that’s a muffin chock full of good and healthy things! And delicious besides.
I don’t know why it surprised me, after all we love zucchini bread and carrot cake and who doesn’t love a cranberry muffin? The combo is perfect! Kudos to you.
Wednesday, 28. July 2010 12:35
these are reminiscent of morning glory muffins, which are a personal favorite. amen, carolyn–ya done good.
Wednesday, 28. July 2010 16:32
What a great combination! I agree, I usually add nuts to just about any muffin recipe cuz I love nuts!
Wednesday, 28. July 2010 22:24
These good for you muffins look amazing & ooh so appetizing, Carolyn!!
WAW!! I also love cranberries!! I could eat them all year round!
Friday, 30. July 2010 4:12
How did you know I am drowning in zucchini? I woke up at 6 am thinking I should grate some to get ready for baking. Yikes! Love the addition of carrots and cranberries.
Saturday, 31. July 2010 14:23
Oh wow, these sound so healthy and delicious, a perfect snack. Thanks for sharing.
Sunday, 1. August 2010 13:30
Yummo! I love zucchini bread so it’s no surprise zucchini makes excellent muffins too. Have not, however, put fruit with my zucchini baked goods. What a great idea. Sounds like the perfect snacking cake. And I usually get the munchies for something like this around 3pm every day of the week while sitting at my office swamped with work.
So thanks!