Coconut-Carrot Muffins

Murlo makes a series of high fibre muffins as part of our compliment of recipes.  We found a great flavourful high fibre, low calorie Coconut-Carrot Morning Glory Muffins recipe at EatingWell.com

We have modified the recipe slightly to accommodate our taste preference.

Yields 12 muffins.

Ingredients
1 c whole-wheat or white whole-wheat flour
½ c old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tbsp rolled oats for garnish
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground allspice
2 large eggs
1 c unsweetened applesauce
½ c brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ c coconut oil, melted if necessary
2 c shredded carrots
½ c unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut for garnish
½ c chopped dried cherries
2 tbsp water

Directions 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, 1/2 cup oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and allspice in a medium bowl.
3. Whisk eggs, applesauce, honey and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk in coconut oil. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until moistened. Fold in carrots, and 1/2 cup coconut.
4. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons each oats and coconut.
5. Bake the muffins until they spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips
Make Ahead Tip: Individually wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, remove plastic, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds.

Equipment: Muffin tin with 12 (1/2-cup) cups

Tip: Coconut oil is solid at temperatures below 76°F. To melt solidified coconut oil, remove the lid and place the container in a bowl of very hot water; stir frequently until melted.

Storage: For long-term freezer storage, wrap your food in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil. The plastic will help prevent freezer burn while the foil will help keep off-odors from seeping into the food.