Carrot Zucchini Spice Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour or white whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves, optional
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup peeled, finely shredded carrots
• 1 cup unpeeled, finely shredded zucchini
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees, and fit a muffin pan with 12 paper muffin cups.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves for 20 seconds, then put the bowl aside.
3. In a different large mixing bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, canola oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla until combined.
4. Mix in the carrots and zucchini. Add the flour mixture, along with the walnuts if you are using them, then use a rubber spatula to stir and fold just until the batter comes together.
5. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups, filling each one nearly to the top.
6. Bake in the heated oven until a toothpick poked into the middle of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 – 24 minutes.
7. Leave the muffins in the pan for several minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store the muffins in an airtight container.