Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

Yesterday, after my mini food tour of Ocala, I must have been inspired by all of the grub because I was hit with the urge to bake.

With fall only 11 days away, I figured I’d get a jumpstart on seasonal baking and turned to pumpkin to make some delicious oatmeal pumpkin muffins.

I used whole wheat flour, oats and pumpkin to increase the nutritional value of the muffins a little bit.

Pumpkin naturally yields super-moist baked goods, and these muffins were no exception. So dense and delicious!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Bake Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• Optional mix-ins: nuts, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line muffin tin with muffin cups
2. Combine whole wheat flour through sugar in a large bowl and mix to evenly distribute ingredients
3. In a separate bowl, mix egg, pumpkin, milk and canola oil
4. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture and stir until batter is thick and fully mixed
5. Fold in optional mix-ins
6. Pour batter into muffin cups and bake for 18 minutes or until tops of the muffins bounce back when lightly touched
7. Cool, top with cinnamon or honey butter and enjoy

I bet you can guess what my snack (x2) was this morning.

I should also note that those muffins are fantastic topped with peanut butter. I microwaved one to warm it up for 15 seconds and then spread creamy peanut butter on top late this morning and it was incredible.

Lunch

Lunch today featured some healthy food! I think my body missed food that was naturally colorful this weekend.

I made myself a hummus and Swiss cheese sandwich on a whole wheat hamburger bun, topped with tomato and alfalfa sprouts.

Sprouts are just so fun! I love it when my sandwiches at delis are made with sprouts and finally figured I should just buy them to put on my homemade sandwiches.

I feel like I almost always melt my cheese when I have the chance, but today I wanted cold cheese. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit! Maybe cold cheese will make a comeback on my lunchtime sandwiches? I like it ooey and gooey on my breakfast bagelwiches, but at lunchtime, cold cheese is much more appealing.