ABOUT THE RECIPE:

These kiddo-friendly Vegan Mini-Muffins feature shredded zucchini and raisins with a sweet "surprise" of blueberry preserves inside! They make a satisfying snack or snazzy start to the day.

Makes 12 mini-muffins

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dairy-free milk, plus more as needed
• 3/4 cup grated zucchini, drained (see note)
• ⅓ cup raisins
• 12 teaspoons blueberry preserves, with any excess liquid drained off

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a twelve-cup mini-muffin tin with paper liners.

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and stir with a dry whisk to combine. Add the brown sugar and stir with the whisk to combine. Stir in the lemon juice and dairy-free milk, and mix just until incorporated. Stir in the zucchini and raisins. The batter will be quite thick, but if it seems overly dry, stir in a bit more dairy-free milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Mound half of the batter into the prepared mini-muffin cups. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the preserves into the center of each muffin. Top each muffin cup with the remaining half of the batter, evenly distributing it among the twelve muffin cups. Put the muffin tin on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Put the muffin tin on a wire rack. Let cool for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the muffins. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cover and store leftover muffins in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

• Chef's Note: Press out excess liquid from the shredded zucchini by putting it in a large, small screened colander/strainer and placing it over a medium bowl. Let the zucchini drain for 5 to 10 minutes, and then gently press the excess liquid out of the zucchini and into the bowl using the back of a large spoon or flexible spatula.