Pumpkin Pecan Oat Muffins with Chocolate Chunks

I make these ALL THE TIME. I just love how hearty and versatile they are. They are low in added sugar and have more protein than your average muffin! These muffins are a perfect healthy snack for busy weeks, and can even fill in for breakfast in a pinch. I typically enjoy one as a mid-morning snack with a cup of coffee AND when I bring a treat to a potluck, housewarming or on vacation, these are what I make and they are always a hit. If pecans or other nuts are out of the question for you, I’ve offered a few suggestions for alterations below. Occasionally I will add chocolate chips with the pecans and it really takes them up a notch.

Prep Time: 10mins
Cook Time: 20mins
Total Time: 30mins
Yield: 12 muffins
Equipment Needed:

• Food processor or full size blender (high powered is ideal)
• Spatula
• Muffin tin
• Measuring cup(s)
• Measuring spoons

CAUTION TREE NUT ALLERGY
Contains pecans** Contains almonds***- Please see substitution recommendations at end of recipe

This recipe is:
>Dairy free
>Vegan friendly: use flax eggs in place of eggs- See end of recipe for how to do this
>Can easily be made gluten free by purchasing certified gluten free dry ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 cup pure canned pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup of unsweetened almond milk, milk or other milk alternative (Nut free options: milk, soy milk, oat milk)
• 4 tablespoons almond butter (Or 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil)
• 2 eggs (Vegan substitute: flax eggs- see end of recipe for instruction)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Dry Ingredients
• 2 ¼ cups whole or rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup chopped pecans (Nut free options: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chunks or chips (You can easily use a different ingredients, just keep it at ¼ cup)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F and then grease or line a muffin tin for 12 muffins
Prepare ingredients as indicated above: chop nuts, melt oil, etc…
Starting with the wet ingredients first (pumpkin, syrup, eggs, vanilla, almond butter, milk), put everything except the pecans (or other choice) into a blender or a food processor and blend until smooth.

Using a spoon, stir the pecans into the batter.
Pour the batter into the muffin tin, filling each about ¾ of the way full.
Bake in the oven for 20-24 minutes, until light golden brown. (Some ovens may take a little longer) Muffins cooked through when toothpick inserted is removed without sticky batter)

Storage:

Fridge: In a sealed container or sealed plastic bag for one week.
Freezer: In a sealed container or sealed plastic freezer bag for three months.

Make this recipe nut free: Use sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and/or chocolate chips instead of pecans. Use 3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil or a nut butter alternative such as pumpkin seed butter (high in protein), sunflower butter, or a soy based option such as Wow Butter in place of almond butter.
Make this recipe Celiac friendly: Use certified gluten free rolled oats instead of regular oats. Purchase all other ingredients for this recipe in pre-sealed packaging. Purchasing non certified gluten free ingredients or bulk ingredients at stores such as Bulk Barn may put those with celiac at risk of exposure to gluten from processing at its original facility or accidental contamination in store.

How to Make a Flax Egg

To replace one egg in a recipe with a vegan friendly flax egg use:
-2 tablespoons hulled flaxseed
-6 tablespoons of water
Combine ground flaxseed with water and set aside for about 5 minutes before adding it to your recipe
Please Note: If using flax eggs, you may need to add a bit more liquid to the batter (Ie: almond milk, milk, etc…). If the batter looks dry or is difficult to stir, add one tablespoon of milk at a time until the batter is sticky and thick, but can be poured without too much difficulty into the muffin tin.