Feed Your Sister: Carrot Protein Muffins

The inspiration for this recipe came from my friend who's actually having a baby this week!! She had told me that she loves carrot muffins and would love to be able to bake a bunch and keep them in the freezer to have for breakfast. Then my mom gave me a recipe for her carrot cake which I altered to make it a better breakfast option, with less calories than your typical bagel shop muffin and more protein. This recipe makes about 16 muffins, I made 12 large and 12 mini muffins. Each large muffin has about 250 calories and 9 grams protein, without the nuts. Have a muffin and 5 egg whites (100 calories, 12 grams protein) scrambled or boiled and you have a healthy protein filled breakfast!! Here's the recipe!!

Carrot Protein Muffins
(makes about 16 large muffins)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 pinch salt
3/4 cup high protein flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup olive oil or vegetable oil or apple sauce
4 eggs

3 cups shredded and then chopped carrots (or 2 bags shredded carrots, chopped into small pieces)

1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. In another bowl combine the wet ingredients, except for the nuts, if using. Whisk to combine and then slowly add the wet into the dry ingredients. Do not overmix. Add nuts now if desired. Spray muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and using a large ice cream scooper, scoop mix into each muffin tin. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

NOTE: If you want to have a chunky consistency in your muffin make it the way I described above...IF NOT, place all ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth, then pour into muffin tin and bake!