Wratchel's Flourless Pumpkin Muffins

makes 18 muffins, photo by Rashel F

This nutritional label was created by me. I measured ingredients by weight, researched them at the National Agricultural Library, and configured the information into this chart.

The genesis of this muffin came from my need for a low-glycemic muffin that also contained loads of real food that were beneficial to my body. Here is a break down of the ingredients and why I chose them:

Oat Flour: high in fiber, low-glycemic (keeps the blood sugar stable, thereby keeping cravings and
     fat storage at bay)
Spices: for taste
Eggs: a decent source of omega-3 fatty acids and a great source of protein
plain Greek Yogurt: adds moisture to the muffin while keeping the sugar low and the protein high
Pumpkin: adds moisture, flavor, fiber, and vitamins
Flax Seed: high in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and lignan
Chia Seed: holds moisture in the muffin and contains omega-3 fatty acids and fiber
Dried Cranberries: packed with vitamins and adds texture and sweetness
Chocolate Chips (six per muffin, placed by hand): adds sweetness and helps with the chocolate fix ;)
Splenda: I eat real food...most of the time. But Splenda has not found itself shut out yet. Maybe
     someday.This sweetener gives a perfect sweetness without any glycemic effect.

So, in a nutshell, I wanted a healthy muffin with lots of fiber and diverse flavors. This one hit the mark, although, I may leave out the dried cranberries next time.

Ingredients

2 1/4 C oat flour

3/4 t baking powder

3/4 t baking soda

3/4 t salt

1 1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

1/8 t ginger

1T flax seeds

1 T chia seeds

2 eggs plus 1 egg white

3/4 C unflavored greek yogurt

1 1/2 C pumpkin puree

1/2 C Splenda

1/3 C dried cranberries

108 chocolate chips (approx 6 T)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat muffin pan with non-stick spray.

2. In a large bowl, mix oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices and flax & chia seeds.

3. In a medium bowl, gently beat the eggs until uniformly mixed.

4. Mix the yogurt into the eggs well.

5. Stir in the pumpkin and splenda.

6. Pour the wet ingredients atop the dry and gently stir, scraping the sides as you do. Just before the dry ingredients disappear, fold in the cranberries.

7. Do not stir anymore.

8. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, place 1/4 cup of the mixture in each muffin tin. It will come close to making 18 muffins.

9. Place 6 chocolate chips atop each muffin.

10. Place on center rack in your oven and bake for 12 minutes each.

11. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool on a rack.