Pumpkin Oat Muffins

While it’s still technically summer, there’s no doubt that pumpkin season is upon us. Whether it’s pumpkin spice lattes or jack-o’-lantern displays at your favorite store, pumpkin is back!

Pumpkin’s not just a pretty face. Nutritionally, it’s nutrient-dense (low in calories but highly nutritious). Pumpkin is known for its beautiful orange color, signaling its high beta-carotene content.

Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that protects against macular degeneration and other eye diseases. It also supports your immune system and may help protect against cancer.

Pumpkin is also a source of B vitamins, potassium, and copper. Adding it to recipes provides flavor and color to boot.

I recently advised a patient with reflux to use pumpkin in place of tomatoes in her chili. She thought I was crazy until she tried it. It goes really well with lentils. Chipotle Lentil Chili with Pumpkin — Sound Bites Nutrition

I felt like baking today and found this pumpkin oat muffin recipe, which, of course, I had to modify in my own way. The original recipe included applesauce, which I didn’t have.

I’m also a little obsessed with orange extract, so I added that to the mix, too. These muffins are a great grab-and-go option for breakfast or brunch, or for an after-dinner treat.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups canned pumpkin

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. orange extract

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (plus a few extra tablespoons to sprinkle on top of muffins before baking)

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

3. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and orange extracts and vegetable oil.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.

5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined. DO NOT OVERMIX!

6. Top the muffins with a few sprinkles of rolled oats.

7. Bake at 350 for 15 to 17 minutes until done.

Makes 12 muffins. Nutrition facts per serving: 190 calories, 30 gm carbohydrates, 2 gm fiber, 5.8 gm fat (.8 gm saturated fat), 4 gm protein, 31 mg cholesterol, 175 mg sodium.

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