Many muffins are just cakes in disguise, with white flour and white sugar and a few artificial blueberries thrown in.

Not these.

Made from whole-wheat flour, grated carrots, raisins, apples and coconut, they are packed with antioxidants (from the beta carotene in the carrots), iron (from the raisins), fiber (from the apples) and heart-healthy whole grains. And they taste great, making them a good choice for breakfast on the go, lunch boxes, or after-school snacks.

In truth, the recipe isn’t all that healthy, calling for white flour, LOADS of sugar, and lots of corn oil. But you can make it healthy with a few easy changes. I used half whole-wheat flour, half the amount of sugar, unsweetened coconut, and half applesauce for the oil. I also used olive oil instead of corn oil; if you’re curious why, check out Nina Planck’s Real Food. Depending on how you like your muffins, you could also increase the pecans and cinnamon, as both were mild in the finished product. I’ll leave that up to you. Lastly, I buy organic raisins, which are free of the sulfur dioxide used in many non-organic raisins. You can get them in bulk from health-food stores or pre-packaged in many grocery stores, too.

Click here for the recipe for Carrot Muffins, but for a healthier version, don’t forget to make the suggested substitutions.