Power Muffins

I have quite an obsession with muffins.
Really I do.
I LOVE muffins! When I was a kid, my friend Melissa and I would bake two pans of blueberry muffins and eat them all, slathered in butter.
Seriously do not judge me. I was probably about 100 pounds and COULD eat 12 muffins and NOT feel guilty about it.
Plus, when you are watching “Lost Boys” for the hundredth time and obsessing over Corey Haim and you need a snack-it is entirely okay that you pause the movie and bake some blueberry muffins with your best friend.
I’m just sayin’.
Did I just age myself?
Probably.
Anyways, that was my first muffin obsession.
Move on to sophomore year of high school. My breakfast consisted of an orange, a yogurt and a healthy bran muffin. I felt so good about myself eating such a “healthy” lunch. Later in life, when I found out that those giant “bran” muffins were like eating half a cake, I about died.
I mean really.
I could have had cake for lunch everyday for the same amount of sugar and calories as my “healthy” bran muffin.
So fast forward to now. My family loves muffins too and I am always trying to find the perfect one. Healthy, but tasty. Flavorful, but not too sugar-y and dessert-y. I found a few yummy ones in this muffin recipe and this one too. 
But, in my never ending quest to eat muffins as much as possible, I came across these beauties and baked a batch. 

I am not kidding about these. They are powerful! Good for you and they keep that hungry feeling away for a really long time! Most importantly, they are so good! I used salted pistachios on top instead of unsalted and it really gave it a unique flavor. Don’t be all crazy like me though. Try them out unsalted first and then, go ahead, be daring.

Power Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp orange zest
1/3 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed or regular)
3/4 cup sugar
2 egg whites
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup plain, fat free, Greek yogurt
2 cups finely grated carrots

1 1/2 cups frozen cranberries, thawed
 2 tblsp low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin cups with non stick spray. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl combine orange zest and juice, sugar (saving 2 teaspoons to the side), egg whites, olive oil and yogurt. Whisk until well combined. Stir into the flour mixture. Fold in carrots. Toss the cranberries with the 2 tsp sugar you put to the side until coated. Fold into the batter. Add milk and mix until batter is thick and creamy. Divide evenly among muffin cups. Top with a pinch of pistachios on top of each muffin, pressing the pistachios lightly into the top of the muffin. Bake 20-22 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove muffins and let cool completely.