Delicious low-sugar Recycled Muffins

My favorite way to use up (or recycle!) left-overs is to make mini muffins!  Who doesn't love a little muffin?  The kids sure do gobble them up so it's a great way to get them to eat their veggies and provide them with a healthier snack!!  This is also a good way to re-use those left-overs instead of throwing them away...

I have made several varieties of this recipe: zucchini-carrot-banana, pumpkin-apple-ginger spice, peas-carrots-green beans with cornmeal and carrots-banana-blueberry (pictured above).  Today I have some bananas, peaches, carrots, applesauce and fresh ginger! You can use any combo of veggies and fruits, just put them all in a food processor or blender (add a little juice or water if it's too dry).  No matter what you put in them, you can make them yummy with honey, vanilla and cinnamon or other spices like ginger or nutmeg.  I usually make these low-sugar for the kids so you can increase the sugar to 1/2 cup if you need the sweetness. I have found that including applesauce not only makes them sweeter but also moister.

makes about 48 mini muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups wheat or unbleached white flour
1/2 cup quick oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup sugar
2-3 tablespoons honey (optional)
1 egg
3 cups blended, mashed or pureed vegetables and fruit (whole or mashed) (if the mixture is too thick or dry, you can add some fruit juice so it is more like the thickness of applesauce)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cinnamon (less if you don't love cinnamon) or any other spice you like

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Spray mini muffin pans or rub with olive oil (or you can use muffin paper cups my favorite: If You Care Mini Baking Cups, 90-Count Packages (Pack of 24))
3. Mix all ingredients with fork or mixer on low speed - just till blended
4. Fill muffins 2/3 full with batter
5. Bake 15-20 minutes until or toothpick comes out clean
6. Remove from oven a let cool about 5 mins. in pan
7. Remove muffins from pan and let cool on a wire rack or wood cutting board
8. Store half in an air tight container.


These Freeze really well in an air tight container - let defrost on the counter over night

tip: If you don't have 3 cups of vegetables, you can add unsweetened apple sauce or mashed bananas; you can also add dried fruit like raisins to add some sweetness

substitution:  If you want corn-veggie muffins, use 1 cup flour and 1 1/2 cup of corn meal or one box of Jiffy Corn Bread mix (made in Michigan right down the road from my parents!)  I also make mini corn muffins with Jiffy mix + 1 can of creamed corn adding a couple TBSP of flour

Happy baking!

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