I know it’s just July but I am on a PUMPKIN KICK! I think around summertime I always get antsy and anxious for fall weather and all things fall! I LOVE the fall season – pumpkin everything, the leaves start to change, football, cooler temps in the morning, you name it. Now don’t get me wrong I do enjoy and love summer! But right now it’s just almost unbearably humid outside so I am inside making batches of pumpkin recipes to trick myself into thinking it’s a little cooler LOL.
These are super easy to make y’all and you might have all the ingredients in your pantry right now! I used a touch of gluten free flour (1/3 cup) but if you don’t have that you could double the oat flour OR even do a regular flour if you eat that…but I avoid processed white/wheat flour/anything with gluten for the most part because I feel best and not bloated when I stay away from gluten.
HERE IS THE RECIPE!
PUMPKIN PROTEIN MUFFINS WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS
INGREDIENTS
1 cup canned pumpkin (no sugar added)
1/3 cup oat flour (or ground old fashioned oats, which is what I did)
1/3 cup gluten free flour
1/2 cup vanilla whey protein powder of choice (or two scoops)
1 egg
1/4 cup maple syrup + 1 tbsp monk fruit sweetener (or extra maple syrup or honey)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp melted, cooled coconut oil
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
pinch of pink salt
1/3 cup or so dark chocolate chips
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350. Grab your muffin pan and grease with a spray oil or coconut oil.
Take a large bowl and put the wet ingredients in first: egg, pumpkin, maple syrup, monk fruit if using, vanilla and stir well (when the coconut oil has cooled you can also add it and mix well). Then add the salt, gluten free flour and oat flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice. Mix everything up together with a spoon before adding the chocolate chips at the end, stir together.
Spoon the batter carefully into each muffin tin, about halfway, and evenly disperse amongst all 12 muffin holes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until toothpick comes out clean and tops are golden.
Allow to cool before removing from pan. Enjoy!
Store leftovers in the fridge.
NOTES:
If you don’t have pumpkin on hand these could easily be turned into banana protein muffins, just swap the 1 cup pumpkin for 1 cup mashed banana! Feel free to also sub coconut palm sugar for the maple syrup, or honey.
Kelly Hayman Fitness 