pumpkin with border

Have you ever seen those books of “Eat This, Not That”? I’m pretty sure they put muffins on the Not list. Looking at these stats, I can see why:

Whole Foods – Banana Nut Muffin

  • Calories: 510, Fat: 21g, Carbs: 77g, Sugar: 34g

Panera Bread – Pumpkin Muffin

  • Calories: 530, Fat: 20g, Carbs: 81g, Sugar: 47g

Starbucks – Banana Nut Muffin

  • Calories: 460, Fat: 22g, Carbs: 61g, Sugar: 40g

But, I want Muffins! So lets make healthy pumpkin muffins. In fact, lets make them as nutritious as oatmeal and as delicious as a cookie. Butter is replaced with banana and pumpkin butter, and I’ve used whole-wheat flour, oats, and a mix of pecans and walnuts.

Recipe

  • 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/4 cups oats
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • ½ cup sucanat (or brown sugar)
  • ½ cup pumpkin
  • 1 banana
  • 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup pecans and walnut mix

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 and spray muffin pan with cooking spray
  2. Mix all wet ingredients in one bowl.
  3. Mix all dry ingredients in another. Create a hole in the middle and pour wet ingredient mix into the space.
  4. Fold ingredients together with as few stirs as possible. This will prevent to much air from getting in.
  5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Nutritional Info: One muffin come in at 180 calories, Fat 8g, Carbs 25g, Fiber 2g, 4g protein

To-go: They freeze easily so just stick in the freezer and grab with you to pop in the microwave when you’re ready to eat.

Cost:  $.40 a muffin!