Perfect Pumpkin Muffins

   by  tibbygirl 

With Autumn comes my obsession for pumpkin everything... these muffins make the perfect accompaniment to a pumpkin latte and they are HEALTHY for you! It's a win, win people.  The whole family LOVES them.  In fact, my son requested these to be served at his birthday party instead of cake.  We did add chocolate chips to make them more cupcake like... oh, so good!  Enjoy! 

   by  Sarah Cady 

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-grain pastry flour (I  use white wheat)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsulphered molasses
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, molasses, oil and 1 egg until combined. Add the other egg and whisk well. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of one of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack.

yields 12 delectable muffins.

Kiwi Banana Muffins

I awoke from a nap last week to find 16lbs of kiwi on my porch.  Yup, that's right... SIXTEEN POUNDS.  We have been eating kiwi daily but I needed to find a way to use up more of it, so this week I made four batches of kiwi banana muffins and three batches of kiwi banana bread.  I was not sure how it would turn out but this recipe received rave reviews.  They are moist and delicious as well as good for you.  The recipe is as follows:

 
 by  Craig Damlo 

Dawna's Kiwi Banana Muffins/Bread
yields 12 muffins or 1 quick bread
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 bananas, mashed
3 kiwis, mashed
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Mix melted butter and sugars together.  Add egg and mix well.  Add fruit and mix well.  In a separate bowl whisk/sift together flours, baking soda and salt.  Add to fruit mixture.  Spray muffin tins/loaf pan with non stick cooking spray and pour in batter.
For muffins:  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes
For bread: Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes
Let cool in pan for ten minutes and then remove to cooling racks.

*Easy way to mash kiwi... cut kiwi in half, scoop fruit out onto a cutting board w/spoon and mash with a fork.  Sure beats peeling the furry skin off of the little buggers.  :0)

Enjoy!