Whole-Grain Pumpkin Muffins

This is most definitely my kid’s favorite muffin recipe. The forever lunchbox staple. If you ask them which muffins they like most (besides the Chocolate Chickpea Muffins), I’d take bets it would be these. I found this recipe in 100 Days of Real Food and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made it. I use spelt flour instead of whole-wheat flour because I think it makes it more cake-like and less dense, as the recipe suggests. You could easily add grated carrots, some walnuts or raisins to this but we are fans of it just the way it is. I make up a batch, keep a couple out for after-school snacks on the day that I make them and toss the rest in a ziploc bag and throw them in the freezer. I pull out what I need for lunches the night before and leave in the fridge to defrost. Lunch packing has never been so simple…or tasty!

Makes 12 standard-size muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole-spelt flour (whole wheat flour would work too)

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray (I like the coconut oil spray).
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
Make a well (hole) in the center of the flour mixture and drop in the eggs, honey and melted butter. Mix together until smooth, but don’t overmix Fold in the pumpkin puree until combined.
Divide the batter among 12 muffin cups. Bake until gold brown and a toothpick comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. 18 minutes on the money seems to be the magic number in my oven. Store at room temperature or freeze for lunches!