Menu Monday: Healthy(er) Pumpkin Muffins, Eddie Bear Approved

Open the newspaper, scroll down your fb news feed, gaze on pinterest and you cannot miss the very important detail that is is officially FALL! Or as I prefer to say, Autumn. I think "autumn" sounds lovely, sophisticated, heart-warming.

In honor of autumn, I have created a pumpkin muffin that I not only feel good about eating, but enjoy eating! Baked goods can be a challenge in our house. My husband has the metabolism of an Olympic runner. I, on the hand, have a very normal 25 year old female metabolism. This means I'm by no means overweight, but my self esteem mirror can show me fluctuating images of myself ranging from a beached whale to a decent figure, or on a really good day I might have skinny thighs and a smaller booty. So, if I keep chocolate chip cookies and banana bread stocked on the counter (the way my hubby likes it) my mirror is never nice to me. Hence the effort to create a muffin that includes the flavors of autumn, heart healthy ingredients, and of course figure friendly modifications.

meet my helper and nephew, Eddie Bear

Healthy(er) Pumpkin Muffins

• 1 1/4 cups sifted whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup flaxseed- if you are new to this ingredient, I highly recommend trying it. It sounds unappealing, but I think it adds pure goodness- for the taste buds and the heart. 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie puree)
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional
• you could also add nuts. we do not add nuts in this house

Directions
Mix dry ingredients. In separate bowl mix wet ingredients. Combine dry and wet ingredients, do not over-mix. Over-mixing reduces muffins moist factor.  My recipe made 2 batches of mini muffins. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Tip: keep in ziplock bag on counter and they are even better on day 2 or 3.

I think my photography skills are improving, don't you?

15 minutes later...super moist pumpkin muffins and perfectly sweet without the guilt! Your definition of a healthy  muffin might not even include 1/2 cup of sugar and chocolate chips. To you I say, no offense, but your muffins are not yummy. This is a treat after all, just a healthy(er) one :-)

Eddie-Bear is my toddler-approved proof that these are indeed yummy. Also, I gave him these without the "too much sugar" look from his momma AND won the affections of his heart. A win-win. Whoever said food was the way to a man's heart was... well, right. But food is also the way to a toddler's heart. And this aunty wants to be right at the center of Eddie Bear's heart!

Finger lickin' good!

As my southern friends say, Happy Fall Y'all!! (in this case, I love to say fall)
With Love,
L