Favorite

Tonight I was staring at my two pie pumpkins that we got a few weeks ago from our CSA (which is sadly now over). I love anything pumpkin, but have always used the canned puree for recipes. This forced me to finally try making my own puree which is incredibly easy. There's a couple different ways you can puree the pumpkin; baking, boiling or microwaving. The baking takes over an hour and we don't have a microwave so I peeled it, stemmed it, cubed it, and boiled it until tender (about 10 minutes). After I drained it and let it cool completely, I put it in a food processor until smooth. Again these are pie pumpkins, sugar pumpkins or other baking varieties. Not the Halloween carving pumpkin.

I experimented with some recipes tonight, added my own twists and came up with these delicious muffins...

Coconut-apple pumpkin muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup coconut butter (warmed to liquid state in hot water, if necessary)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 apple peeled, cored and diced


Preheat oven to 350.


Mix together flour and baking powder, set aside.


Whisk together pumpkin, coconut butter, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, sugar, baking soda and salt.  Stir in flour mixture just until moistened.  Fold in apples.


Pour into muffin cup liners, about 3/4 full.  Mix together cinnamon and 1 tablespoon sugar and sprinkle on top.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Cool on rack for 5 minutes.  ENJOY! 


Makes 18 muffins.

Here is the coconut butter that I used.  It will solidify if cold enough.  If that happens just bring water to a boil, remove from stove and place the opened glass jar into it until you can stir it.  It should be stirred well, to combine the oil with the flesh, before using.  It's so gooooooood! 

177