Carrot Zucchini Superhero Muffin

I first heard about them from a coworker — an avid runner, biker, and all-around health enthusiast. I was asking him about his pre-5 a.m. bike ride nutrition (because... how do you fuel for that?), and he casually replied, "Oh, my wife makes me superhero muffins. I have one every morning before I ride."Now let me tell you — this guy is fit. So of course I was immediately intrigued. A muffin that's part of a health-conscious athlete’s daily routine? Sign me up! I found the recipe online and bought the book, Run Fast, Eat Slow, where the original recipe lives.

After making these muffins for the first time, I knew they were going to be a regular thing. They’re just sweet enough, with a little tart kick from the cranberries and golden berries. And the best part? I feel good when I eat them — like my stomach is actually thanking me for the fiber, healthy fats, and nutrients packed inside. No guilt here. In fact, I ate these muffins daily while prepping for my wedding — and I ended up the slimmest I'd been in years!One more story before I stop rambling: my very healthy, ingredient-conscious husband once asked if I could "cool it on the baking" while we were trying to slim down for summer... but when I mentioned these muffins, he said, "Oh, those don’t count." 😂

I really hope you try them — they’re that good. 🧡

Ingredients

1. 2 cups almond meal

2. 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

3. 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

4. 1/2 cup raisins, optional

5. 1/2 cup cranberry

6. 1/2 cup golden berries (sometimes harder to find but I think these add such a nice tart kick to these muffins)

7. 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

8. 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

9. 1 teaspoon baking soda

10. 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

11. 3 eggs, beaten

12. 1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 zucchini)

13. 1 cup grated carrot (about 2 carrots)

14. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

15. 1/2 cup maple syrup

16. 1 teaspoon vanilla

    
    

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Prepare 12 cup standard muffin tin with paper muffin cups.

3. In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, oats, walnuts, raisins, dried golden berries, and cranberries, and spices. (You can mix and match with the dried fruit. I generally feel more dried fruit = better. If you don’t have golden berries, maybe throw in some golden raisins for a bit of sweetness)

4. In a separate bowl, mix beat eggs, then mix in butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Next add in zucchini and carrot.

5. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.

6. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups.

7. Bake for about 25-35 minutes. Muffins should be nicely browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

Enjoy!! :D