Morning Glory Muffins!

My favorite muffins ever! These are delicious, healthy, filling, and just about impossible to mess up! I have made them with many different substitutions and they always turn out yummy. I love to bake a batch early in the week so my husband can grab one on his way out the door when I don't get up and make him breakfast. They also freeze pretty well. Delicious with butter or cream cheese!

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar or sucanat
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins or craisins (soaked)
2 cups grated carrots
1 lg. tart apple, peeled and grated
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped almond, walnuts, or pecans
1/3 cup sunflower seed or wheat germ
3 lg. eggs
2/3 cup coconut oil (or applesauce)
1/4 cup orange juice (or apple)
2 teaspoons vanilla
Cinnamon sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease muffin tins.

Put raisins in small bowl and cover with hot water; set aside to soak. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, spices, and salt in large mixing bowl. I usually do heaping teaspoons of the spices. Stir in the carrots, apple, coconut, nuts, and wheat germ (or sunflower seeds). Note: I have left out the nuts or coconut or wheat germ at various times, or added minced crystalized ginger; these ingredients are very flexible!
 In separate bowl, beat together eggs, oil (or applesauce), orange juice, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and stir until evenly moistened. Drain the raisins(or craisins) and stir them in.
Scoop batter into the greased muffin tins; they will be almost full. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if desired. Bake about 25 mins, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven, allow to cool 5 mins. and then transfer to a cooling rake. If you don't remove the muffins from tin after 5 mins. they will get soggy.
Enjoy!!

Note: I have made them with all honey also. Just leave out the sugar/sucanat and use about 2/3 c. honey. This is an adapted recipe from "King Arthur's Flour Whole Grain Baking cookbook".