Easter baskets are usually filled with candy and chocolate (yum, yum!), and letting your kids indulge in sweets now and again is perfectly fine.  Since the holiday is sure to bring on the sugary snacks, here’s a healthier treat you can serve leading up to Easter, or include it on your Easter brunch table.  This bunny muffin is big on adorable Easter cheer, but low on fat and sugar!  Whole wheat flour adds extra fiber and applesauce replaces some of the oil and sugar, making them less sweet than traditional carrot cake muffins.

Recipe Ingredients:

For the muffins:

• 1 ½ cups finely grated carrot
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp salt

For the decorations:

• Slices of apple, pear, or mango
• Raisins
• Toothpicks

How to Make It:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla.
3. Stir in applesauce.
4. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir until just moistened.
6. Fold the grated carrots into the batter.
7. Spoon the batter into a greased or paper-lined muffin tray.
8. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Once the muffins have cooled, add decorations to create a bunny face.
10. Place raisins on top to make eyes and a nose.
11. Insert toothpicks into one end of two slices of apple, pear, or mango.
12. Use the toothpicks to stick the fruit slices into the muffin to make the bunny’s ears.
13. Enjoy your healthy Easter snack!

Makes 12 muffins