Monday, October 11, 2010

Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I like muffins. I don't like to eat muffins that taste like cupcakes. I prefer healthy muffins and it is fine with me if they aren't super sweet or full of fat, as long as they still taste good and aren't dry.
I wanted to make pumpkin muffins and found a recipe that I tweaked quite a bit. Luckily pumpkin puree keeps baked goods nice and moist, so this recipe didn't need a lot of oil or butter. Low-fat buttermilk also added to the nice texture of these muffins. I like the texture that the oats add to this muffins as well.
I made these before school one morning and added mini chocolate chips because my son thinks that mini chocolate chips make anything better.
I was really happy with the results of these muffins. Moist, flavorful and pretty healthy!

I also just wanted to share this idea I saw in a recent issue of EveryDay Food for a healthy breakfast- Savory Oatmeal with a Egg. I didn't follow the recipe, but I did use their idea (partially). They used quick-cooking oats, a soft cooked egg, and no spinach.
I made my steel cut oats on the stovetop, then fried an egg in a small amount of olive oil. Then I sauteed a couple handfuls of spinach, in the same pan. I sprinkled a little bit of shredded cheese over my oatmeal, then topped it with the egg, spinach and chopped green onions. It was really good. My 3 year old liked it too.


Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins adapted from FitSugar
Inspired by Carrots-n-Cake and About: Lowfat Cooking

Ingredients

3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
3/4 cups old fashioned oats
6 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg or 1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk + a couple more Tbls if the batter looks too thick

1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line muffin tin with muffin cups.
  2. Whisk dry ingredients and spices together in a large bowl.
  3. Add pumpkin, oil, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla to a medium size bowl and mix thoroughly. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredient and gently fold together, just, until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
  4. Fill muffin cups evenly and bake for 18 to 25 minutes. Mine were done in 22 minutes.

Makes 9 muffins.


12 comments:

  1. The pumpkin muffins are somethign I need to try since I prefer less sweet options too. Consider it bookmarked Mary Ann.

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  2. Interesting recipes. I love oats in anything. And, of course, choclate chips always make muffins better.

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  3. Thanks for the savory oatmeal idea! I will be trying that this weekend.

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  4. The muffins look so delicious! Interesting take with the oatmeal.

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  5. Those muffins look incredible! I'll take pretty much any muffin but I know what you mean about wanting a healthy muffin. Every now and then I crave a bran muffin with just a hint of honey to it. I like how these muffins have oats and healthy stuff but also have chocolate. Pumpkin and chocolate is such a great pairing!

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  6. I just finished baking pumpkin, oatmeal, chocolate chip cookies. Great minds at work.

    I will have to try the muffin too. Thanks.

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  7. ha! I was just looking for a good pumpkin muffin. Why thank you my dearie!

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  8. These muffins look delicious! Can you believe that it is 10/12 and I have not baked anything pumpkin yet this season? I need to fix that soon, and these muffins might just be the thing to kick off pumpkin baking season! The savory oatmeal looks great too!

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  9. These look gorgeous and I love their appreance - really appealing with all the melty chocolate chips peeking out

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  10. these look delicious! i know what you mean- i prefer healthy muffins, too...don't like to start the day feeling like i've eaten a pound of butter and a cup of sugar.

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  11. I used oat flour instead of whole wheat and it was delicious and healthy.!

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  12. Can you use whole wheat flour instead of the white whole wheat flour? A quick google search said yes, but has anyone tried it?

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Thank you for taking the time to make a comment on my blog! I appreciate you checking out my creations and leaving your thoughts. I will try to get back to you, through comments here or by visiting your blog. Thanks again!
Mary Ann