Morning Glory Muffins

I fell in love with Morning Glory muffins the summer I was 18 in Rockport, Maine. Early mornings, lanky Laurel -- my photography teacher's assistant who made Polaroid transfers and weathered a rocky love affair -- and I sat on the seawall sipping hot cups of tea. One morning she arrived with a white paper bag -- muffins, still warm from the bakery, the subtle crunch of carrot and coconut, the moist crumb.

The fun of morning glory muffins is that you can add whatever you have -- bananas, raisins, coconut, applesauce -- and play with proportions. Make a loaf or muffins, though I find mini-muffins a bit dry.

Garden Harvest Cake/Morning Glory Muffins

recipe from Cooking Light, June 2009

1 c flour (I used white whole wheat -- a flour I don't understand and think must be quite processed but whose fiber I appreciate -- you could also use regular whole wheat or white)
3/4 c sugar
1-2 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 c grated, peeled Granny Smith apple (about 1 medium apple)
1/2 c grated carrot (about 1 med)
1/2 c grated zucchini
1/4 c chopped walnuts
1/4 c canola oil
1/4 c nonfat buttermilk
2 large eggs
cooking spray (or oil or butter to grease the pan -- I used butter for the flavor)

1. preheat the oven to 350

2. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk

3. Add grated apple, carrot, zucchini and nuts, toss well

4. Combine oil, buttermilk and eggs in a small bowl -- add to flour mixture until JUST combined

5. Spoon into greased loaf pan and bake for 50 min, or until toothpick comes out clean.

6. Cool 10 min on wire rack then remove cake from pan. Cool completely before slicing (I didn't wait that long, what can I say)