Morning Glory Muffins

These muffins really are the glory of the morning. They are packed with so much good stuff which make them the perfect way to start your day! Don't be discouraged by the long list of ingredients because each one adds so much flavor and texture to these delicious muffins and you most probably have all of them in your kitchen right now. 

These muffins actually get their name from the cafe that created them in 1978, The Morning Glory Cafe in Nantucket. The recipe was published in Gourmet magazine in 1981 and in 1991 it was chosen by readers as one of the best recipes from the past 25 years. My version takes inspiration from the original recipe from over 40 years ago but with a few substitutions and yummy additions. 

I recommend making a double batch of these tasty muffins so you can have a stash in the freezer for a quick breakfast or healthy afternoon pick me up to brighten up your day whenever you need it. 

Morning Glory Muffins 

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (all-purpose works too)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda 

1/4 tsp nutmeg*

1 tsp cinnamon 

3/4 tsp salt 

1/2 cup oats (rolled or instant) 

2 Tbsp oil (preferably olive oil or melted coconut oil)

1 large egg 

1/2 cup honey/silan/maple syrup

1/3 cup milk of your choice 

1 medium carrot, peeled 

1 medium zucchini 

1 apple - whatever type you have on hand - quartered and core removed 

1 large overripe banana, mashed** 

1/3 cup chopped dried fruit (if you must you can use raisins, but I use a mix of chopped dried cranberries and apricots) 

1/3 cup chopped nuts 

2 Tbsp coconut flakes 

Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F 

Line a standard-size muffin pan with paper liners. 

Grate the carrot, zucchini, and apple on the coarse side of a box grater. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and oats.

In a liquid measuring cup mix together the oil, egg, sweetener of your choice, and milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with the mashed banana and shredded zucchini, carrot, and apple. Mix until just combined. Make sure not to overmix your batter or else your muffins will be dense and chewy. Fold in the dried fruit and nuts. 

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake for 18-22 minutes. 

Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin before popping out and cooling on a rack. 

Yield: 12 standard-size muffins 

*if you don't have nutmeg you can leave it out, but it can be substituted with 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

**If you're not a banana fan don't worry because you can't taste the banana in the muffin, it just adds moisture. If you don't have a banana you can also use 1/3 cup of unsweetened apple sauce.