HEALTHY PUMPKIN MUFFIN RECIPE

With the days getting increasingly shorter and the nights starting to cool down a bit (well, not in Florida…but we can pretend!), I think it’s safe to say we’d all like to cozy up at the end of the day with a warm, healthy muffin in hand. And we all know the fall season just wouldn’t feel right without consuming all things pumpkin, right? What better way to celebrate the changing of the seasons than with guilt-free, DELICIOUS pumpkin muffins!

This recipe is so simple, and only requires a blender and your oven!

Adding coconut oil to this recipe is a great way to get those healthy fats in our system to give us energy and make it easier for our bodies to absorb nutrients. Our bodies crave these healthy fats to get them through the day. If you don’t have coconut oil, however, you can simply substitute for 4 tablespoons of any nut butter of your choice. Almond butter would be my first choice as a substitution, but any nut butter will get the job done.

You can also use any natural sweetener you prefer. I prefer xylitol because of the added benefits for my teeth, and because it doesn’t leave an unpleasant aftertaste like some other sweeteners. Maple syrup could also work in the recipe, but you may want to double the amount depending on how sweet you want your muffins to be.

Next time I make these pumpkin muffins, I will definitely be adding some nuts or cranberries for added flavor.

Ingredients:

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil

¼ cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)

2 and ¼ cup steel cut oats

¼ cup xylitol (or natural sweetener of your choice)

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 and ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

½ cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, then grease or line a muffin pan.

Add all ingredients in order from top to bottom (except the chocolate chips) in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.

Using a rubber spatula or spoon, gently fold the chocolate chips into the batter. Fill each muffin tin about ¾ of the way full with the batter and bake until the top of the muffins are a light golden brown (about 22 minutes)