Marian'S Morning Glory Muffins

• 1/2 cup golden seedless raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped dates (or date crumbles)
• 1/4 cup diced dried apricots
• 1/4 cup diced prunes
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and grated
• 1 medium parsnip, peeled and grated
• 1 cup crushed pineapple in unsweetened juice (small can)
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, shredded
• 1/3 cup raw sugar, demera sugar or granulated palm sugar for sprinkling on top
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat ovent to 350 degrees. Brush the muffin tins with canola oil or Pam - it's just plain easier.
2. Place raisins, chopped dates, apricots and prunes in a small bowl. Cover with hot water and let them plump for ten minutes. If you are using the date crumbles, they don't have to soak. After ten minutes, drain and squeeze out excess water. Set aside.
3. Sift flours, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to mix thoroughly.
4. In a separate medium bowl, combine the raisins, dates, apricots, prunes, carrots, parsnip, apples, pineapple, eggs, canola oil, lemon juice, vanilla, coconut, sunflower seeds and melted butter. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
5. Add the dry ingrdients to the wet ingredients using the wooden spoon to stir just until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix.
6. Using an ice scream scoop, scoop batter evenly into the greased muffin tins. The batter should make 12 muffins, filling each cup to about the top. Sprinkle coarse sugar on the top and bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a grate to cool for 20 minutes (I just use my range burners). After cooling, pop from the muffin tins, using a fork down the side of each tin if needed, and serve.

golden seedless raisins, dates, apricots, prunes, flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, carrots, apples, parsnip, pineapple, eggs, canola oil, butter, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sunflower seeds, vanilla, unsweetened coconut, sugar, salt

Taken from food52.com/recipes/9782-marian-s-morning-glory-muffins (may not work)