Name: Gramsy's Healthy Veggie Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1½ cup whole wheat flour; ½ cup all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon cinnamon; ¼ cup honey ((1/2 cup sugar used in photographed recipe)); 4 tablespoon butter (, room temperature); 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup steamed and finely chopped broccoli ((start with 2 cups chunked broccoli)); 1 medium zucchini (, chunked); 1 large carrot (, peeled and chunked); 1 medium apple (, quartered); 1 banana (, quartered); ½ cup applesauce (, unsweetened); ¼ cup plain thick yogurt ((generous quarter cup))

Gramsy’s Healthy Veggie Muffins: packed with vegetables, fruit and whole grains

Gramsy’s Veggie Muffins rule! Gramsy loves to go to Salt Lake City and stay with Lauren and Aaron to take care of Prince William and give mommy a break. Of course I love to cook for them when I go, but Lauren really likes to do that herself. So I find my joy with caring for William while she does what she loves without interruption. However, every now and then, she asks me to help her out. This was one of those times. She found a recipe for veggie packed muffins and is always looking for healthy nutrition packed breakfast, dinner and snack foods for William because he’s often not interested in meal time foods. He’s a grazer. I took the recipe she gave to me that inspired my revision for the Thermomix machine and made it our own with a tweak or two.

He helped me make them, in that he was watching and stirring and pushing buttons. He could not wait to “have one? have one?”. And when he woke up from his nap and they were baked, after the first bite, he announced, “Deeee-licious!” How I wished I got that on video. He repeated it many other time, but never when the camera was nearby, of course.

Every morning thereafter, he would wake up and mommy would say, “What would you like for breakfast today, Wills?” He would answer, “Milky and Mmmmuffins!!!”

The first time, he ate three mini muffins, one after the other with such relish and gusto we knew unquestionably that this recipe was going into the family archives.

Lauren loved the Super Healthy Kids website and that’s where she found the recipe that inspired this concoction. Same main ingredients, but no sugar, more whole wheat flour, no juice, more veggies…. etc.

Gramsy’s Healthy Veggie Muffins: Mis en Place

Getting everything organized was a blast. He was nibbling on broccoli pieces, carrot bits, a bit of zucchini – basically tasting his way through the ingredients to go into the muffins as I prepared them. When I photographed the mis en place, he crawled up onto the table and kept trying to snatch some more… so we made a little game of it… I would count to three and he would snatch and I would try to capture a photo.

A very intent little Prince working with Gramsy to make some healthy veggie muffins!

Snacking on cheese while patiently listening to what Gramsy was telling him she was doing.

Could not wait for his turn to stir and add ingredients into a bowl.

I added 1/2 cup more of whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup less of white flour than the recipe that Lauren provided for me.

I did not add any juice, but increased the yogurt by a little extra mound.

The wet ingredients all into the bowl. We did use sugar the first time, but they muffin was quite sweet, so I changed the sugar to honey and reduced that by 1/2.

Added a whole apple instead of 1/2 and a cup of broccoli after it was steamed and minced instead of a cup of broccoli to be steamed, then minced. It is about double the amount in the initial recipe.

Gramsy’s Healthy Veggie Muffins: Puréeing the Veggies and Fruit

Mince the carrots first as they are most fibrous and need that extra blitz. Add the next most dense fruit and vegetables to mince.

Broccoli was done by hand as it was steamed and then measured after mincing, so add it with the banana for the last second to combine all.

If you have a soupy purée instead of a course purée like the one above, do not panic. It will still taste delicious, but the texture will not be as interesting or as colourful. Older children may like even a courser mince instead of a purée, but I prefer this mixture so there are specs of colour and texture in the muffin.

Gramsy’s Healthy Veggie Muffins: Preparing the Wet Ingredients

Honey, vanilla, room temperature butter and egg is whisked together until completely incorporated.

Gramsy’s Healthy Veggie Muffins: Adding the Wet Ingredients to the Fruit and Veggie Mixture

Apple sauce and yogurt is added to the wet ingredients along with the puréed vegetables and fruits.

There is such love and a vibrant sense or self fulfillment when making homemade delicious, nutritious and economical food for a growing brain and body. So much more gratifying than buying something that says it is organic, gmo free and healthy. I know that is in these muffins. To be responsible for the fibers that contribute to the growth of your most precious little being is the ultimate and most sacred trust and a gift that must be honored.

Gramsy’s Healthy Veggie Muffins: Adding the Dry Ingredients

I cannot wait to make these with my own home ground Canadian Red Fife whole wheat. The texture will be chewier, the flavour tastier and the muffin, healthier.

Gramsy’s Healthy Veggie Muffins: Making the Muffins

Little cups of goodness waiting for the oven.

Gramsy’s Healthy Veggie Muffins: Baking the Muffins

Puffed to perfection, these little muffins are dense, moist, pleasingly tasty and filled with powerful energy for that little love in your life.

Gramsy’s Healthy Veggie Muffins: Eating the Muffins

“Deee-licious!”

Veggies for breakfast, yes-siree. Not raw, but none the less, nutritious.

“Deeee-licious!”

And economical. Mommy and Gramsy really enjoyed them, too!

4.5 from 2 votes