Feeding the kids: Carrot muffins

Maggie has a sweet tooth -- already. If she sees my husband, Jason, or I with a cookie or dessert she says “yum, yum.” She definitely takes after me, but I'm not sure I want to get her into the habit of having a sweet dessert every day -- even if it's only a few small pieces.

Also, now that she loves fruit, she's dismissing veggies almost completely. She'll still eat peas and sometimes spinach, when it's combined with something else, like in an omelet or tossed with pasta. When I came across a carrot muffin recipe in “Tate's Bake Shop Baking With Kids” cookbook by Kathleen King (Priddy Books; $12.99) I knew I wanted to try them.

I gave these muffins to Maggie after dinner the other night, and she loved them. I thought it was a great way to sneak in veggies while satisfying her sweet tooth. The recipe calls for pecans, which I left out since Maggie hasn't tried nuts yet. The next time I make these I may use one of the mini-muffin tins, so they're easier for her to eat.

Here's the recipe to try with your kids. Let me know what they think and be sure to check back next Wednesday for another healthy recipe.