Pumpkin Chai Muffins
This is not a trick... this is truly a healthier treat! We love this recipe from our Registered Dietitian friends at Healthy Ideas Place
But first, here are some of the "benefits" of pumpkin:
It’s a good source of vitamins and minerals like some of the B vitamins, iron, and magnesium
It’s low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories with only about 50 calories per cup of cooked pumpkin
It’s a very good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber
It’s rich in the anti-oxidant beta-carotene (think orange here) which the body can convert into vitamin A
Ingredients
1 c. milk
4 chai tea bags
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. white whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
3/4 c. dried cranberries
1 c. pureed pumpkin
1/4 c. honey
2 eggs
1/2 c. canola oil
2 Tbsp. ground walnuts
2 tsp. turbinado sugar
1/4 tsp. each cardamom and cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare muffin tins by spraying bottoms non-stick pan spray or lining them with paper muffin cups.
Warm the milk on the stove or in the microwave till it is hot, but not boiling. Remove from heat and place the four bags of chai tea in the milk to steep.
In a large bowl mix together the all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, flax seed, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. cardamom, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and allspice. Stir to distribute ingredients evenly.
In a separate bowl whisk together the pumpkin, honey, eggs, and oil. Remove tea bags from milk and gently squeeze the bags to remove any remaining milk from the bags. Pour chai tea milk into the pumpkin mixture and blend well.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the blended liquid mixture. Carefully fold the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients until moistened. Do not over mix. It is okay to have a couple small streaks of flour. Over mixing will result in a heavier, more dense, muffin.
Fill muffin cups about 2/3 to 3/4 full with batter.
Stir together the ground walnuts, turbinado sugar, and 1/4 tsp. each of cardamom and cinnamon. Top each muffin with a small pinch of the walnut mix.
Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until muffins are done.
