Healthy Carrot Pumpkin Whole Wheat Muffins

These were so delicious, I just may need to make another batch today! On Monday I received a jumbo muffin pan that I had ordered on Amazon, and decided this was the recipe I'd try. So glad I did! There's something about jumbo size muffins that just taste better than the little ones to me - more moist perhaps? And they look like they were bought at some fancy bakery (only mine are healthier!).  Anyway, I may only make jumbo muffins from now on. This recipe is adapted from one found at bloggingoverthyme.com. They were perfect for breakfast, afternoon snack or dessert (plus they look so pretty, I surprised my yoga teacher with one.)

Healthy Carrot Pumpkin Whole Wheat Muffins
makes 6 large or 10-12 regular sized muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 heaping tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of ground nutmeg, cloves & ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup carrots, grated
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2/3 cup sugar (I used turbinado sugar, which is a raw sugar, fewer calories, less processed, more moist, and adds a molasses-like taste similar to brown sugar. It can be substituted for white sugar in many recipes.)
• 3 TB canola oil (next time I'm going to substitute 2 TB applesauce and 1 TB canola oil)
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs (next time I may use 1 egg and 2 egg whites instead)

Directions:

1. Whisk together the flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.
2. In another bowl combine the carrots, raisins and walnuts.
3. Using a mixer, combine the pumpkin, canola oil and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.
4. Reduce speed and slowly add in the flour mixture, only until dry ingredients disappear.
5. Gently stir in carrot, walnut and raisin mixture.
6. Divide into lightly greased muffin tin.
7. Bake at 375 for 28-32 minutes (for jumbo muffins), or 22-25 minutes (for regular size muffins).