Healthy muffins for a quick breakfast or snack (Dairy Free!) - Part 2

Pumpkins, oh how I love thee!

I love you in pie, in smoothies, in soups, in pancakes and in muffins. I cannot go wrong with pumpkin.  I wish we could (intentionally) grow pumpkins, but they just take up way too much space.  So each year I buy a few pie pumpkins and roast them myself.  Its very easy.

For the second year, a pumpkin has planted itself right outside
our front door.  Can you see the vine and blossoms running
along side the railing? It has at least one pumpkin on it. 

My squirrel-planted pumpkin, grown in the landscaping.
Beautiful, right?

You can buy high quality, delicious canned pumpkin.  No one will ever fault you for that.  But for me, this time of year, I love roasting pumpkins at home.  And because this beauty grew in my landscaping, I knew I just had to.  If you want to give it a try, it is the same procedure as roasting any squash.  If you don't, skip down and try the recipe anyway, with the canned pumpkin.
Note when buying canned pumpkin - some is canned with the seasonings.  If this is the case, omit the pumpkin pie spice from the recipe below. 

Roasting Pumpkins:

- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

- Find and wash a 2-3 lb. pie pumpkin.  Giant carving pumpkins are not tasty. 

- Slice it in half, from the stem to the bottom.

- Remove the seeds and scrape the stringy pulp out. You can save the seeds for roasting - just make sure to clean off all the pulp and set them aside to dry.

- Place the pumpkin halves cut-side down in a 9x13 or similar sized pan.  Fill with 1" of water.

- Place your pumpkin in the oven for 45-55 minutes or until it is fork-tender (very soft).

- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool until you can handle it with your hands.

- The skin of the pumpkin should be very pliable.  You can either peel it off with your fingers or easily scrape the pumpkin out of the shell.  Put it all in the blender with just enough water to blend it (maybe 1/4 cup).  At the time of this photo, I was using a Magic Bullet - so I had to do this in a few takes.  A full sized blender is quicker.  

- Place the purreed pumpkin in baggies (removing all the air) in 1 cup quantities.  Label and freeze flat for later use.  Or of course you can use the pumpkin right away.  See recipe below.

Halved, one half with
seeds removed, one to go.

Roasted.

                                   

Skins - after peeling.

After the pumpkin has cooled, I used a
Magic Bullet, but any method to puree
will work.  Be sure to add a little water
to get a smooth consistency. 

Extra pumpkin bagged and ready to freeze.
Make sure to freeze flat (for easy storage)
and remove all the air before sealing.

One of my FAVORITE recipes.  A great breakfast treat, but passes as a wonderful snack as well:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

(yield - approx. 18 muffins)

2 cups flour*

1/2 cup sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup milk or non-dairy substitute (I use almond milk)

1/3 cup oil (I like coconut oil - use in liquid state)

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon nutmeg blend will do as well).

1 cup pureed pumpkin

1 cup chocolate chocolate chips**

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 F. I recommend avoiding muffin papers.  You don't need them and they make a  mess.  Just grease your muffin pan.*** 

2.  In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.  (Note: This is a good time to make up one or two extra batches, since you have all the ingredients out.  Just put the dry ingredients into storage baggies and label.  Put the additional ingredients needed and directions on a sticky note and place inside, or write it on the outside of the bag with a permanent marker.  Now you have your own mix ready to go for another time with way less work!)

3.  In a small bowl, whisk together all of the remaining wet ingredients.  Hand mix (gently) into the dry ingredients.  Don't over mix.  Just until the entire batch is wet and not lumpy.

4. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick (or skewer) comes out clean.  

Cool 5-10 minutes before trying to remove from pan.  Delicious served warm with butter.

I normally leave half the batch out for eating and freeze the other half to take out later.  Again, a large baggie works great - just remember to remove all the air! 

Notes:
* I use my own flour blend of 50% all purpose flour and 50% whole wheat pastry flour.  Whole wheat pastry flour has all the nutritional benefits or regular whole wheat flour, but it is ground more finely and it much more "usable" in baking.  I haven't switched over to 100% whole wheat because it is just too difficult to bake with. The result is very "heavy".  This way, I get the best of both worlds. 
** My daughter is allergic to dairy, so I use high quality chocolate chips that are dairy free.  The Enjoy Life brand also makes dairy free chips.  Both are commonly found in big chain grocery stores. 
*** I really love my Pampered Chef stoneware muffin pan.  You'll see me using it in recipes a lot.  I'm sure there are competitors who sell this as well, if you are interested.  The qualities of the stoneware allow me to bake without muffin liners, which I love.  

Baked to perfection in my Pampered Chef stoneware baking pan.

Ready to eat and oh, so sweet!  Can't wait for breakfast!

Freezing half the batch for later.

Roasting pumpkin seeds is easy.  After you have cleaned out your pie pumpkins or even your carving pumpkins you will have plenty for snacking.  Clean them well to get rid of all the "pumpkin slime".

Pat them dry or allow them to air dry.  There are many many recipes to be found online for seed seasoning.  This year we used one I found on AllRecipes.com.  Here it is:

Mix together:

2 cups clean, dry pumpkin seeds

1 1/2 tbs. melted butter (I used coconut oil)

1 1/2 tsp. worcestershire

1 1/4 tsp. salt

Bake on sheet pan (with sides!) for 90 minutes at 250 F, stirring every 15-20 minutes.  Seeds should be dry when you are done - if not, bake a little longer. 

Enjoy!