1-First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin tin with 10 muffin liners, greasing them with nonstick spray. This ensures the muffins release easily and bake uniformly.

2-Next, shred the zucchini and carrots, then measure and squeeze out all excess moisture from the zucchini shreds to keep the batter from becoming too wet.

3-In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients: zucchini, carrot, applesauce or banana, maple syrup, eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: oat flour, all-purpose flour or gluten-free option, shredded coconut, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones, mixing until just combined to avoid overmixing, which could make the muffins tough.

4-Once mixed, fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans and chopped Medjool dates or raisins for added texture. Divide the batter evenly among the 10 muffin liners, filling each about ¾ full, and optionally sprinkle the tops with rolled oats and more chopped walnuts. Bake for 23-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

5-After baking, cool the muffins in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.