On February 23, 2015 our after-school program at Hayward Rec Center made carrot muffins. As usual, we began our class with reading the rules and washing our hands. 
We went through the ingredients and everyone got a chance to find out where they came from: vanilla from a flower, cinnamon from a bark, ginger from a root, raisins from grapes, etc. One of our BEETS (Band of Environmentally Educated and Employable Teens), Vincente Rivera had everyone smell the different ingredients–vanilla was the favorite! Everyone participated in measuring out the ingredients and putting the batter together.
While they waited for the muffins to bake, Serena Padilla, our CommunityGrows garden educator read a book about Eating the Alphabet-Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z by Lois Ehlert. Then outside to get some exercise before the muffins were ready. Umm.. Umm.. Good! For more photos from the day, please visit our CommunityGrows Flickr Photostream here.
Here’s the recipe! (makes 12 muffins)
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups grated carrot
1/2 cup raisins
2/3 cup walnuts or pecans
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare muffin tins by greasing with vegetable oil or butter and sprinkling lighly with flour. Shake out excess flour.
2. Mix eggs, applesauce sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, ix flour, salt, baking powder, and spices.
4. Mix flour mixture into wet ingredients.
5. Add carrots, raisins, and nuts
6. Fill muffin tins three-quarters full and bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
ENJOY!