Challenge!

I need to kick this up a bit.  This is how I cook:  I find a recipe, or read the title of the recipe, and go from there. When it comes to baking, I make sure I have equal dry/wet ingredients, but often improvise.  For example, a recent recipe I read called for a whopping 1 1/4 cups oil.  Holy cow that's a lot when the rest is pretty healthy, so I swapped out 1 cup non-fat greek yogurt and used 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil.  Gave the muffins a sweeter and denser taste, and healthier oil.  I experiment without deviating too far from the recipe most of the times.  And many times a recipe or menu just sound good and I don't even follow a recipe, but I use what I have on hand or turn my kitchen into a lab and experiment until I come up with something I'm satisfied with.  I'm fairly good at making recoveries and preventing epic fails.  I love Chopped, Challenge, and Iron Chef. If you'd like to challenge me to turning my kitchen into Kitchen Stadium, success or fail, I'll post it.

Pear, Carrot, & Ginger Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup Egg Substitute or 4 Whole Large Eggs
1 cup Non-fat Vanilla Greek Yogurt(or plain)
1/3 cup Coconut Oil or Canola Oil
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 tbl. Gourmet Garden Ginger(or jarred)
1 Tbl. Vanilla

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 cups All-Purpose Unbleached Flour
2 tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Kosher Salt

3 medium size Pears, finely diced
2 cups Grated Carrot

Preheat oven to 350' and line 2 12 count cupcake pans with paper liners, or spray generously with non-stick spray.  Combine wet ingredients(first 6) in a medium bowl with wire whisk, set aside.  Combine dry ingredients(next 6) in a large bowl with another wire whisk.  Create a well in the center and add wet ingredients with large rubber spatula, just until mixed.  Add pears and carrots and combine gently.  Divide into 24 muffin liners and bake 18-23 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  Serve warm with maple butter.

I love baking quick breads and muffins using the egg substitutes because they bake up higher and fluffier.  And the added benefits of being low or fat free and a much healthier choice.