Mad Muffin Mania: Pumpkin Carrot Raisin Muffins

[re-posted from Juggling With Julia]

Having kids that like to eat good food is nice. Having kids that are open, and
even excited, about trying new foods is even better. But having kids that are so
jazzed about food that they excitedly bat ideas around the table on a Tuesday
night about "what Mom should blog about next" is the BEST.

That is where Mad Muffin Mania came from. After the gastronomical success of
the Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins, they decided there are endless
possibilities for muffin flavors, and I should blog them all. Which means I
have to make them all. Which means they get to EAT THEM ALL. Yes, master
manipulators, down to the last one of 'em.

Not to be out-manipulated, I decided to capitalize on their apparent muffin
fever and go for a recipe chock full of good-for-you stuff and see how they
liked it. This muffin combines two tastes I love -- the sweetness of pumpkin
bread and a moist, dense carrot cake full of raisins. Pumpkin and carrots
are loaded with Vitamin A and raisins are a great source of iron. Add in some
whole wheat flour and that ratchets up the fiber content as well.

The verdict? Delicious. They were moist and light, with the raisins adding
just the right amount of sweetness. My husband, second son and I loved them,
while the other two kids liked them just fine after picking out the raisins. 

Next time, I might try using some brown sugar in place of the white for a
deeper sweetness, but otherwise wouldn't change a thing. Give this a go if
you're a pumpkin/carrot/raisin kind of person.

**FYI, this recipe makes a double batch and here's why: the single batch called for 1 and 3/4 cups of white flour, but I wanted to substitute half of that with whole wheat flour. Doing the math to figure out how to halve 1 and 3/4 cups is just not something I am prepared to deal with in the kitchen at 6:30 in the morning, and so I did the next most logical thing and doubled everything. Solved! It's a really good thing they turned out so well :)

Pumpkin Carrot Raisin Muffins
Makes 24

Dry Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or substitute with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon each of ground clove and ground ginger)

Wet Ingredients:
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup canola oil
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup raisins

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease two 12-hole muffin pans with spray oil.
2) Add all dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Combine well, then,
using a large spoon, create a well in the center.
3) In a separate bowl, combine all wet ingredients, stirring well.  Pour wet mixture all at once into the well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Stir with a large spoon just until combined. Do not over-mix.
4) Fill each muffin section approximately three-quarters full with batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until muffin tops are set and spring back when touched. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for a few minutes before removing muffins to a rack to cool.

Enjoy!