Carrot Coconut Muffins

This recipe is adapted from a fabulous recipe I found in my Taste of Home magazine, originally called Morning Muffins. I was really excited to come across this recipe because at the hospital where I delivered my baby they had some awesome bran muffins that had carrots and coconut in them. I could not get enough of them and was seriously craving some after I came home. This recipe is a close second to those hospital bran muffins.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. butter,softened OR mashed white beans
• 1/2 c. partially packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 c. sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1 c. shredded carrots (about 2 large carrots)
• 1/2 c. flaked coconut
• 1/2 c. raisins 
• 1 c. whole wheat flour
• 1/2 c. wheat germ
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Beat together the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. 
2. Add eggs and sour cream; beat well.
3. Add the carrots, coconut, and raisins. 
4. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, wheat germ, baking soda, and cinnamon together. Add to the wet mixture just until moistened.
5. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4ths full. 
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Makes 1 dozen.

Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

(Photo from  LunchBoxBunch.Com)

This recipe was sent in by Vanessa H. She found it at LunchBoxBunch.Com. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cans cannellini white beans, drained
• 1 large sweet potato, baked/peeled/mashed (about 2 cups)
• 2 Tbsp tahini
• 2 tsp maple or agave syrup
• 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning OR Cajun seasoning (or another fave spice!)
• 1/4 cup wheat flour
• optional: additional seasoning (whatever you have on hand - I used a few dashes cayenne, black pepper and a scoop of nutritional yeast)
• salt to taste if needed
• plentiful Panko crumbs
• safflower oil for pan
• burgers: avocado, Dijon mustard, grain buns, romaine, onion, olive oil, pepper

Directions:
1. Bake sweet potato. Peel, place in large mixing bowl.
2. Add drained beans to mixing bowl. Mash beans and potato together.
3. Mash in seasoning, flour and any additional seasoning. Your mixture will be quite soft and moist. But you should be able to form a patty. Add more flour or a scoop of breadcrumbs - or dry rice to thicken the mixture if needed.
4. Heat 1 Tbsp safflower oil in a pan over high heat.
5. Form a patty from mixture and coat in Panko crumbs. Thick coating. Then drop the patty in the pan. Repeat until the pan is filled. Cook until browned on both sides. You could also bake. If baking, use less Panko.
6. Transfer cooked patties to paper towel. Cool for a few minutes.
7. Serve on toasted bun with lotsa toppings.
makes 7-8 large patties
Note: yes this patty does fall kind of apart as you eat it. But that is OK because it tastes yummy. 


Notes about this recipe:
1. This recipe makes TON, so I would cut it in half.