Moist Mom Muffins Recipe: A Healthier Muffin Full of Wholesome Ingredients by Jocelyn Mitchell

I know, the title of this healthy muffin recipe is ridiculous. It makes me laugh! But it warms my heart when my kids clamor for my “mommy muffins,” which are delicious and healthy at the same time!

Muffins can be a wonderful, portable snack food, but conventional, store-bought muffins are really not much better than cupcakes in terms of their nutritional content. In 2021, Amie Watson of the website Mashed wrote a disturbing exposé of the high levels of fat, sugar, sodium and calories in a typical muffin. But if you bake your own muffins, you can make sure they are a healthy and yummy snack.

My go-to muffin recipe is modified from Jane Massey’s bran-flax muffins on Allrecipes, where her recipe currently enjoys a 5-star rating from 600 plus reviews. I’ve been making these bran muffins for years, and they are a staple in my kids’ lunch boxes and snack plates. You can also serve them for dessert. 

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 24 

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup ground flax seed (I recommend freshly ground)
• 3/4 cup rolled old-fashioned oats, freshly ground
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Wet Ingredients

• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup milk (low-fat milk is fine)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Shredded Fruit and Vegetables (4 cups total)

• 1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded (1 cup total)
• 1 small zucchini, shredded (1 cup total)
• 2 red apples, peeled, cored and shredded (I like using Gala apples)

Optional Stir-ins

• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Recipe Notes

• Once cooled, muffins may be frozen in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag, and individually defrosted on low microwave power for one minute for a tasty and healthy snack at any time. They probably keep well for more than a month in the freezer, but they are eaten too quickly in my household for me to say for sure!

• A box grater is really helpful for grating the fruits and vegetables.

• Store the muffins in an airtight container to keep them fresh.

Here's how to make it: 

1. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. 
2. In a separate small bowl, beat the two eggs well, then beat in the milk, oil and vanilla. 
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. 
4. Stir in the shredded fruits and vegetables as well as any optional add-ins. 
5. Fill two muffin pans lined with baking liners 2/3 full with batter in each cup. 
6. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for about 20 minutes, checking for doneness at 15, as every oven is different. Remove the muffins and let cool on a rack. 

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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