Breakfast/Anytime Muffins

Happy summer!  It's that time of year, when the only acceptable outdoor activities involve water.  We had our first wading pool activities this week.  Here's how it normally goes: the kids beg me to fill up the wading pool, only to jump in and out of it ten thousand times while I fill it with the hose.  When it's finally full of water, there's so much grass in it from said jumping in and out that you can't see the bottom and they're over it.  At this point the only logical thing to do is drag it until it's under the slide and make a homemade water park with a hose and your murky kiddie pool.  Now, who's ready for fall (I really do enjoy splashing around with them...they're just exhausting, though!)? :)  Anyway, I digress...back to the point.

Jellybean slept in this morning (it was awesome!) so Cbear and I had some time on our hands.  I was feeling burned out on our usual breakfast foods and we hadn't done muffins in a while, so I set out to make a messy kitchen this morning with my little "helper" and do some baking.  There were a couple of recipes I'd been wanting to try, but in the end I combined the two and added a few of my own ideas.  They turned out pretty good, and are semi-healthy so I thought I'd share!  We've already eaten half a dozen today...next time I think I'll make a double batch (this recipe is for 12).

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
2 eggs
1 ripe banana, smashed
1 cup applesauce
1 med. grated carrot
1 small or 1/2 large grated zucchini
1 1/2 cups flour (any combination: I used 1 cup whole wheat and 1/2 cup all-purpose)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Optional topping: Mix together 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, chopped pecans

Cream together sugar, butter, and eggs.  Add veggies and fruit.  Stir in flour, soda, cinnamon and salt.  Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.  Sprinkle topping over each muffin and bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.
Enjoy for breakfast or anytime you need a pick-me-up (Snacks after the splash pad, anyone?  I believe we're heading there later this week!  I need a nap just thinking about it.).