a healthy surprise

I made these carrot-cake muffins out of my Deceptively Delicious book this week and was happily surprised at how yummy they tasted. I was missing an item for the frosting, so I just used a creme cheese store bought frosting I had left over in the fridge. So far, I have liked almost ever recipe that I have tried off this book. Jack and Cash still aren't that hip on eating most of it - but I think once they are a little older, it will be an easier sell. They did, however, like the muffins - and I was happy I was sneaking carrots, cauliflower, prunes and apricots into their diet. How deceptive! (sorry - bad joke)

CARROT CAKE MUFFINS
Prep Time: 10min
Total Time: 35 min
12 muffins

ingredients:
+ Nonstick cooking spray or paper muffin cups
+ 1/2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar (I used light)
+ 4 TBS margarine
+ 1 cup carrot puree
+ 1/2 cup cauliflower puree
+ 1 large egg
+ 2 TBS frozen orange juice concentrate
+ 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
+ 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
+ 1/4 cup pitted prunes, chopped
+ 2 cups all-purpose flour
+ 1 tsp baking powder
+ 1 tsp basking soda
+ 1 tsp cinnamon
+ 1/4 tsp allspice

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Coat muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper cups.
2. In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to beat the sugar with the margarine until smooth. Stir in the purees, egg, orange juice concentrate, and vanilla, and then the apricots and prunes. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and allspice, and stir until just combined. Do not overmix; there are supposed to be lumps in the batter.
3. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake until the tops of the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean from center of muffin. Approx. 12 - 15 minutes.

Super yummy.