Carrot Cake Muffins

So this recipe, started as me wanting to make a healthy cake for my mom's birthday bash! Her favorite kind of cakes are carrot and spice cakes.  So, the search for a good recipe began. I found one and healthified it to pieces and made it!  Then I found a low fat/cal cream cheese icing recipe to use.  Each slice was under 150 calories and had protein and fiber galore!!  I was so proud of myself that I mistakenly told them before serving it.  My sister-in-law, who does not concern herself with eating healthy, turned up her nose and said, "doesn't that take all the fun out of it?"  I said, "Try it and let me know if you think it does."  The rest of the night they spent asking for seconds and raving about how it was THE best carrot cake they had ever eaten!! "Better than Grandmas" my oldest brother whispered.

So, I made muffins out of the recipe, left off the icing and tada, we have another everyday snack recipe that is healthy, cheap and easy!

Ingredients:
6 egg whites
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c + 1/3 c Stevia (all natural zero calories sweetener-not artificial!)
1 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. skim milk or almond milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
2 c 100% whole wheat flour
1 (8oz) can crushed pineapple with juice
2 c shredded carrots
1/2 c chopped walnuts or almonds
1/2 c raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease pan with non stick spray.

2. In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites.  Slowly beat in sugar, then applesauce, skim milk, and vanilla. Stir in cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda, and flour. Stir in, one ingredient at a time, pineapple, carrots, walnuts, and raisins.  Pour into the prepared pan.

3. Bake 35-40 minutes for cake size pan, less for muffins (start checking at 20 min). It is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Makes 24

1 Muffin:

Calories	82	Sodium	28 mg
Total Fat	0.6 g	Potassium	43.8mg
Saturated	0 g	Total Carbs	18.8 g
Polyunsaturated	0.1 g	Dietary Fiber	2 g
Monounsaturated	0.2 g	Sugars	10.7 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	2.9 g
Cholesterol	0.1 mg
Vitamin A	0.5%	Calcium	1.1%
Vitamin C	3.8%	Iron	0.8%

Icing Recipe for making it a cake:
Ingredients:
1-8oz. pack of fat free or low fat cream cheese
1/2 cup pink grapefruit or orange juice
1/2 cup cold milk
2-3.4 oz packs of instant vanilla pudding mix (or make a homemade version)
1-8 oz. container of fat free frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Then slowly beat in the juice and milk.  Add pudding mix.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Fold in whipped topping.  Store in refrigerator.


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