Lighten Up Pumpkin Muffins

I like to have lazy Sunday mornings reading the paper and drinking coffee (who doesn't?!).  A few weekends ago, I came across a recipe for "Skinny Pumpkin Muffins" in Parade Magazine in our local island paper.  Since the transitions between seasons are very subtle here on Maui, Pumpkin Muffins sounded like just the thing to help get us in the "Fall" mood.  I have been looking for pumpkin puree for 3 weeks (not that unusual-"gotta wait for the boat") so when I found some today, I grabbed a few cans and promptly came home and made these muffins.

Here is the original recipe:

Skinny Pumpkin Muffins

Dorie Greenspan
Parade magazine

2 cups AP flour

2 tsp baking powder

¾ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter softened

½ cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

¾ cup pumpkin puree

¼ cup milk

Sunflower seeds, optional

Whisk flour, baking powder, spices and salt.  Line muffin pan with liners. Preheat oven to 400

Beat butter until creamy then beat in sugar; add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each.  Gently fold in the pumpkin puree and milk.  Add flour mixture and blend into batter.

Divide among 12 muffin cups and sprinkle with sunflower seeds.  Bake until puffed and toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes.  Serve warm or room temp

200 calories, 27 carbs, 4 protein, 9 fat per muffin

As I looked at the recipe, I started seeing some things I wanted to change.  Butter, trying to use as a special treat.  Brown sugar, prefer sugar free.  2 Cups AP flour-prefer at least some whole wheat.  I also thought some nuts would be good.  Here is what I came up with for my Lighten Up Pumpkin Muffins.

Makes 12 muffins, approximately 167 calories, 20 grams carbs, 8.5 grams fat (almost all unsaturated), and 4 grams protein each

Ingredients:

1 cup AP flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 TBSP cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup canola oil

¼ cup natural unsweetened apple sauce

¼ cup sugar free maple syrup

½ cup egg substitute, plus extra for egg wash

¾ cup pumpkin puree

¼ cup 1 % milk

½ cup chopped pecans

1 TBSP water

¼ cup crushed bran cereal flakes

Method:

Line muffin pan with liners. Preheat oven to 400.  Whisk flour, baking powder, spices and salt together. 

Beat canola oil and apple sauce together.  Add in SF maple syrup; add egg substitute in 2 portions, beating well after each.  Gently fold in the pumpkin puree, nuts and milk.  Add flour mixture and blend into batter.  Divide among 12 muffin cups. 

Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove carefully and brush tops of muffins with egg wash and sprinkle with crushed bran flakes.  Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes or until puffed and toothpick comes out clean. 

Serve warm or room temperature.

They were a delicious mouthful of pumpkin and spice! The nuts and topping were nice additions, and I think next time I'll add some raisins.  The muffins are definitely not sweet so the sweetness of the raisins should be just right. 

We had them with a light butter-like spread.  I think low fat cream cheese would be a lovely rich complement.

What recipes have you "lightened up"?  Any favorite fall muffins?

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