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This time last year, I was feeling like super mom. Pretty much any food I put in front of my one year old, he would eat. We’re talking lentils with butternut squash, sweet potatoes with sardines, spinach with quinoa and salmon, zoodles with bison meatballs… you name it. I was a baby food making fool! The dietitian in me was super proud. The naive new mom in me didn’t realize this too was a phase, which shall pass.

Flash forward to now, my two year old’s favorite phrase is ‘No Mom-ma’ and the only green thing he will eat is the fresh pea pods out of our garden. Unfortunately, our pea pods produced approximately 25 edible peas, so he got his veggies for like 6 days so far this summer. And, don’t even think about serving him those ones outta the bag. Or, try tying the store bought ones to the vines because that would just be ridiculous.

I’ve read the research on not ‘tricking’ your kids or ‘hiding’ veggies in foods. But quite frankly at this point in our newly two year old’s life, we’re packing those bad boys anywhere we can. (Mostly smoothies, muffins, and quesadillas)

I feel the need to add a disclaimer here that my child thinks anything that comes out of a muffin tin pan is a cupcake. I swear I didn’t teach him this but I promise I will ride this one out until he figures out the difference! So these ‘cupcakes’ are really muffins. And the fact that these are named after my son comes from his recent 2 year well check-up where he was being particularly ‘awesome’ in the waiting room. A visiting pediatrician asked what he had for breakfast and asked if I’d share the recipe.

So here you go… Smith Cupcake Muffins which are jam packed with veggies, dried fruit, oats, whole wheat flour and awesomeness. You’re welcome.

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SMITH CUPCAKE MUFFINS

Servings 12 massive muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup dried fruit we like raisins and cherries
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups zucchini grated (about 1 large)
  • 1 cup carrots grated (about 2 large)
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with liners or spray with oil.
  • In medium bowl, combine whole wheat flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and dried fruit. Mix.
  • In a small bowl, combine eggs, zucchini, carrots, oil, maple syrup (or brown sugar), and vanilla extract. Mix.
  • Add the veggie mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix very well. The batter will be very thick and chunky.
  • Add evenly to lined muffin tin. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until tops begin to brown.

Notes

Other thoughts:
  • Sometimes I make 12 regular sized muffins and 12 mini muffins. (These need baked for about 15 minutes.) Smith calls these 'cuuuute cupcakes' which I cannot get enough of hearing him say so I easily succumb to allowing him to eat them all.
  • You can also add nuts with the dried fruit. Just keep the total of nuts/fruit to 1 cup. Pecans or walnuts are both great.
  • Store extras in the refrigerator for up to a week. They freeze great too.
  • The muffin paper sticks if you try to eat them when they are still warm. Allow them to cool or place in the refrigerator if that bothers you.
  • Inspired by Run Fast Eat Slow’s Superhero Muffins - check out their amazing, whole foods cookbook
 
How-to-Use Guide:
  • Athletes: Eat one (or two!) as a snack 2-3 hours before training.
  • Healthy Eating: Eat one with 2 hard-boiled eggs or 6 oz greek yogurt for a meal.
  • Kids: Eat one for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack 🙂
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    Enjoy as much as this goof!