Pumpkin Pie Muffins

A little pumpkin butter with my pumpkin pie muffins? Don’t mind if I do. I love all things fall, so when the recipe for Pumpkin Pie Muffins came up on Ellie in My Belly I was pretty stoked. This muffin recipe is extremely easy. I like that there’s no butter, a reasonable amount of sugar, its high in Vitamin A, and less than 200 calories per muffin (nutrition label after recipe). I don’t like that its low in fiber which guarantees I’ll be hungry in less than 2 hours. Next time I make these I’ll add ground flax or something else to boost the nutritional benefits. Overall though, they are delicious. After eating two muffins in one day, I had to distribute the muffins at the office (unanimously liked).  Thank you Oddball Oven Mitt for picking a yummy fall recipe and for hosting this week.

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-grain pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – increased to 2 teaspoons
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg used 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsulphered molasses didn’t have so replaced with part maple syrup, part agave
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk used 3/4 cup nonfat greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds sprinkled with cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, molasses, oil and 1 egg until combined. Add the other egg and whisk well. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack.

 

Pumpkin and Pecan Oat Muffins

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!

 

On the Go: Veggies

Veggies are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, and they are low in calories. However, its hard to get veggies on the go. They aren’t in vending machines, you can’t grab like an apple, and its not as easy as a handful of almonds.

Here’s one solution: frittata. A frittata is an omelet that you add veggies, meats, and cheeses to, and cook on stovetop until its almost ready, but finish it up in the broiler. (125 Calories, more than 15 grams of protein, and 89% of your daily Vitamin C)

You might be wondering what’s “on-the-go” about that. Well you make it, divide it up, put in Tupperware and bring anywhere. Super Easy! Look below for proof.

Ingredients

• 8 to 10 cups of any veggies your heart desires (I bought 3 cups broccoli, 2 cups spinach, 2 cups tomatoes, 3 cups mushrooms)
• 6 egg whites, 2 eggs (yolk and white)
• 1/3 cup low fat sharp cheddar cheese (or any cheese you like)
• Spices- Italian medley, pepper, salt

Directions

1. On medium heat, in a skillet, add all vegetables and spices and cook until they almost done. You should be able to get away with cooking spray and a few splashes of water rather than using oil.

2. Add beaten eggs and beaten egg whites. I like to beat the egg whites separately to get more fluff.

3. Add cheese.

4. Break up mixture and stir until some eggs are cooked but there is still liquid remaining.

5. Place in broiler until the top gets golden brown (5-10 minutes).

Break it up into portions. I made this into 6 meals, but you could make them smaller. You can throw into the freezer and nuke it, or just keep in the fridge and grab with you on the go for a morning (or anytime) fix. I keep a few in the fridge at work…much healthier, satisfying fix in the afternoon than vending machine crap.

Just waiting in my fridge to be grabbed. Nutrition information above is per portion (I made 6 portions).