Pumpkin Pecan Muffins
www.CookusInterruptus.com
Reprinted from Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair (Sasquatch Books, 2008)
Baked sugar pie pumpkin or buttercup squash are delicious in this recipe. These muffins make excellent snacks or breakfast food. They are also a nice accompaniment to White Bean and Kale Soup or other savory soups.
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup unbleached white flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ cup unrefined cane sugar or brown sugar
- ½ cup melted butter
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 cup mashed, cooked pumpkin or winter squash
- ½ cup milk or water
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil muffin tins or line with paper muffin cups. Mix together flours, baking powder, salt, spices, and unrefined cane sugar in large bowl; set aside.
Put butter in a small sauce pan to melt. Add molasses and honey to warm butter and stir together.
Place cooked pumpkin or squash in blender, add butter-sweetener mixture and blend. Add 1/2 milk or water (or more) to get a smooth, pourable consistency - like pancake batter. Add eggs and vanilla and pulse to blend.
Add wet ingredients to dry mixture and fold gently, using a minimum of strokes. Fold pecans into batter. Fill muffin cups full with batter. Bake 25-30 minutes.
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Makes 12 muffins
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Reserve some of the baked pumpkin or winter squash used in the muffins. Puree with a little breast milk or water.
