Rise and Shine Muffins (and cookbook giveaway!)

Carrot and Zucchini Muffins from a Culinary School Friend

In 2001 I had been modeling for almost 15 years, and for most of that time I had wanted to go to culinary school. I toured a few programs but never signed up. Then I booked a tour at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York for September 11. That tour never happened, and in the days after, I decided that if I was ever going to cook for real, it had to be now.

I spent the next year working during the day and taking classes at night. It was hard, and I loved it. I’d come home late with whatever we had made in class, and my future husband and I would eat it together after our long days.

The best thing I took from that year was my friendship with Sarah Copeland, one of the kindest and most talented cooks I know. These muffins come from her book, The Newlywed Cookbook. I made them for Kenya’s snack one afternoon, and the kids and their moms loved them.

They’re full of grated carrot and zucchini, with raisins and nuts in every bite, so they work as a grab-and-go breakfast or an after-school snack. The batter comes together in two bowls, and the muffins freeze well, so one batch can cover a lot of mornings.

Getting Kids Involved

• Little kids: Pour hot water over the raisins, line the muffin tin with paper liners, and stir the dry ingredients together.
• Middle-grade kids: Crack and whisk the eggs with the oil, buttermilk and vanilla, then help spoon the batter into the cups.
• Teens: Grate the carrots and zucchini on a box grater, or take on the whole batch.

Meal Prep & Time Savers

• Grate the carrots and zucchini up to a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge.
• Whisk the dry ingredients together the night before, so the morning is just wet ingredients, a stir and the oven.
• Freeze cooled muffins in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Warm one in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, or pack it frozen in a lunchbox and it will thaw by snack time.
• For snack-size muffins, use a mini muffin tin and bake for about 15 minutes.

Pro Tips

• Stir the wet and dry ingredients just until you can’t see dry flour. A few lumps are fine.
• Drain the raisins well so they don’t add extra water to the batter.
• Fill the cups about three-quarters full.
• Start checking at 20 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Substitutions & Dietary Considerations

• Nut-free: Leave out the pecans and pine nuts, or use sunflower or pumpkin seeds instead.
• No buttermilk: Stir 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar into ⅓ cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
• Flour: All-purpose flour works if you don’t have white whole wheat flour.
• Dried fruit: Swap the raisins for dried cranberries or chopped dates, or skip them.