How do they come up with a name like Morning Glory Muffin? I am most definitely not a morning person so it’s hard to fathom those early hours of the day being glorious. You know what is also deceiving? That morning glory muffins are healthy and virtuous and fitting for January when everyone vows to eat better for the rest of the year. Virtuous they are not.
Golly, they do taste good though. Perhaps even gloriously good. Packed with shredded carrot, grated apple, coconut, dried cranberry, pecan, orange, and wheat germ, how can they not? This is the muffin equivalent of the ubiquitous Everything Bagel. There is a bit of everything to please everyone.
There are so many morning glory muffins recipes out there but I was attracted to the highly recommended version on King Arthur Flour. It also helps that I happen to have every ingredient on that long list. It’s not the end of the world to swap out one ingredient for another but I did make one small mistake with this batch of muffins. The recipe calls for baking soda but I mistakenly used equal amount of baking powder. That’s what happens when I try to bake before taking my morning coffee!
Good news is that the muffin did not suffer from this unintentional substitution. They rose to good height with pretty dome top. The texture is moist from all the grated fruit and vegetable. The classic combination of cranberry, pecan, and orange (zest and juice) is a crowd pleaser any day.
Like the January crowd at my gym, I have the urge to eat more healthily this time of year. The days of holiday indulgences are behind me and it will only be four months before racing begins. My coach told me not to worry too much about the extra weight as long as I don’t get flabby. My winter program has a significant portion of weight training and I should gain lean muscle weight during these months. Unlike last year, I am in no hurry to get into race-ready shape because the important races will not take place until September. I am feeling relaxed and stressed free about the impending race season. Let’s hope I can keep it this way.
