Cranberry Carrot Muffins

I watch the produce shelves, waiting for the day the cranberries will appear. Because it's virtually impossible to track down these seasonal gems the rest of the year I feel obligated to start using them the moment they make an appearance. So they are here and oh the plans I have. I got a special little sample package today from POM Wonderful full of pomegranate juice. I can promise you that the POM and the cranberries are going to get together soon but for now I whipped up some moist carrot muffins with sweet flavors of pineapple and tangy bursts of cranberry. I am afraid I can't tell you how many I ate by myself. What I can tell you is that I stayed true to the purpose of this blog and I experimented with one of my food storage items. I exchanged the shredded carrot for the dehydrated carrot pieces that have been waiting to be used. I am on a mission to learn how to use dehydrated carrots. These carrot muffins are a great pantry/food storage recipe. If you leave out the cranberries, the rest of the recipe comes straight from the pantry shelves.

Recipe adapted from recipe in Lunch Boxes and Snacks by Annabel Karmel

3/4 Cup flour

3/4 Cup wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup veggie oil

1/2 Cup sugar

1/4 of dehydrated carrots, re hydrated to 1/2 cup or 1 large carrot shredded

one 8 oz can of crushed pineapple, partially drained

3/4 Cup fresh cranberries or craisins

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line muffin tin

Mix flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl beat oil, sugar and eggs until combined. Add carrot, pineapple and cranberries and mix. Gradually add flour mixture. Beat until just combined. Pour into muffin tins. Bake 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before transferring to wire rack.