Pumpkin Lovin

Hi again, can you believe that I am actually blogging twice in one week?! Much less twice in two days?! It's a miracle really! Anyways, I just wanted to share this yummy, and surprisingly rather healthy, version of pumpkin muffins I found. A friend of mine introduced me to this awesome website called SkinnyTaste, which is where I found this recipe. This woman makes healthier recipes for the food that we all love! I was attempting to get in the mood for fall and stumbled upon this yummy recipe and thought I would give it a try although it seemed WAY out of my comfort zone since it uses raw sugar, no egg yolks, or any milk! It doesn't call for water or milk (weird) and can be made gluten free (for my two sweet friends that are allergic) according to the comments on her website from other bakers.

Pumpkin Nut Muffins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (King Arthur)

3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour (King Arthur)

3/4 cup raw sugar

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 large egg whites

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

baking spray

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray liners with oil for easy removal.In a medium bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking soda, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside.In a large bowl mix pumpkin puree, oil, egg whites and vanilla; beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl.

Add flour mixture to the wet mixture, then blend at low speed until combined; do not over mix. Fold in chopped nuts.

Pour batter into prepared muffin tin and bake on the center rack for 24 - 26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Let them cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Makes 12 muffins.

* These are great with a little butter for breakfast or a small snack! I would recommend taking her suggestion and using the baking spray inside the liners. I know it sounds odd, but if you don't use it they stick horribly to the liners! Enjoy :)

Love,

The Etheridges