When I’m training for a race, I need healthy carbs to keep my energy levels up. I love these Carrot Cake Muffins that have no added sugar or dairy. I made them this week, and they are so delicious. I like to eat them with a protein smoothie or Greek yogurt for breakfast or as a snack in the middle of the day. They even make for a nice little treat after dinner. My Carrot Cake Muffins were inspired by these Carrot-Date Cupcakes I first saw in Runner’s World. I removed the icing and substituted ground flax seed for the wheat bran. They are delicious and will be a hit for everyone in your family.

Ingredients

• 1 cup medjool dates, pitted (be sure to use fresh dates from the produce section, not the ones that come pre-packaged in the dried fruit section)
• 1 cup water
• 1 ¼ cup of whole wheat pastry flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill brand)
• 1/3 cup of ground flax seed (I use Bob’s Red Mill brand)
• 1 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups of shredded carrots (1 large carrot grated yielded 1.5 cups for me)
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Boil 1 cup of water in a small saucepan. Once the water comes to a boil, add the dates. Turn the water off, and allow the dates to soak in the water for about 15 minutes.
• While the dates are soaking, mix the whole wheat flour, ground flax seeds, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
• After the dates have soaked for 15 minutes, add them (along with the remaining water in your saucepan) to a food processor. Puree the mixture until it turns into a paste.
• In another bowl, lightly beat 2 eggs. Add the pureed date mixture, shredded carrot, canola oil and vanilla extract. Stir until blended and smooth.

• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined (do not over stir).

• Pour the mixture into greased or lined muffin cups.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Yields 10 muffins.

Do you have a healthy muffin recipe you love? Share it and link to it in the comments below. If you try my Carrot Cake Muffin recipe, let me know what you think.