Culinary Guides

These are the classic kitchen sink muffins, the kind you build from whatever is in the crisper. Ours lean on grated carrots and beets for sweetness and color, with honey, warm spices, dried cherries, and toasted hazelnuts folded through. They keep well and make a good grab-and-go breakfast.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup hazelnut oil (or grapeseed, walnut, light olive, or melted coconut oil)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup grated carrots, plus extra for topping (optional)
• 1/2 cup grated beets, plus extra for topping (optional)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup dried cherries (or any dried fruit you have)
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
• Sprinkle of pumpkin seeds for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400F (200C) and grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the hazelnut oil, honey, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Stir in the grated carrots and beets and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined; do not overmix. Gently fold in the dried cherries and hazelnuts.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cups. If you like, top with pumpkin seeds and a little extra grated carrot and beet.
6. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm with a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey.

Grower's tip: Sweet, tender carrots make the best muffins, and the secret is thinning. Once the seedlings are a couple inches tall, thin them to about 2 inches apart so each root has room to size up. Crowded carrots stay skinny and twisted, while thinned ones grow full and sweet.

These keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly before serving.

The best part is you can grow the produce yourself. Sow a bed of carrots and beets for the batter, add shredded zucchini when it is in season, and save a few pumpkin seeds for the tops.