DIY Kitchen: pumpkin muffins

Sugar baby pumpkins all grown up.

We’re the kind of family who eats totally gluten-free, paleo and  Nourishing Traditions-style except for, y’know, beer…oh and also, well, the 2 loaves of day-old artisan bread Dan brought home last weekend, and please don’t send the gluten-sniffing dog into our car, on account of the 2 cookies, apple streusel, and sausage breakfast burrito which were passed around as we drove out to Pagosa Springs on Friday.

Which is all to say, we may lean in certain directions, but apparently the food altar at which we worship is made of flexible materials.

But, this recipe for pumpkin muffins (which began as a recipe for pumpkin custard, because it’s like Bubba from Forrest Gump round here lately: we got pumpkin custard, pumpkin soup, roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin fries, pumpkin burritos, pumpkin cake…I rented Forrest Gump to watch with the kids while Dan was away hunting, and it was great except all the fast-forwarding and explaining I had to do because of, whoops! sex scenes, war scenes, but boy did they love the 63% of it they got to watch…), but, um, where was I?

Right. This recipe for pumpkin muffins can be made paleo (Hi Diane G; Thanks for the lovely card!) or vegan (Hi Erin N; Lets talk homeschooling!) or pumpkin-free (Hi Rosie; lets get over your pumpkin-phobia!); okay, maybe not pumpkin-free.

Col loves these muffins because, “they’re so buttery;” Rosie likes to co-create anything in our sliver of a kitchen that involves wearing an apron and licking honey off a spoon; and Dan and I love them because they’re the shortest distance to the most nutritious and yummy calories you can shove in your piehole when you’re too busy to actually turn on the stove.

Fine print:

1) This recipe calls for pie pumpkins or sugar pumpkins (small and sweet).

2) I puree the pumpkin skin with the flesh. I know, it’s wild times over here. This saves a whole 3 minutes of hard labor, and I figure if the pumpkin went to the trouble of growing that skin, I might as well use it (a good reason to buy organic). Also, the skin has antioxidants and studies show (don’t you love the vagueness of that term) antibacterial and antifungal properties in the skin.

3) Molasses. I’m a big fan. Because of the iron, obviously.

4) Pumpkin is walloped with potassium (lowers blood pressure), Vit A (for the peepers), folate (for normal red blood cell production) and Vit C (immunity!)

Directions

1-2 med size pie pumpkins or 3 cups pumpkin puree

3 cups flour

1 can coconut milk

1 stick butter (leave at room temp until softens)

1 1/2 cups crushed walnuts

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup honey

3 eggs

1-2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

(Of course there’s a lot of room for ingredient swapping. Pecans for walnuts or no nuts at all, leave out the molasses and add more honey, flour can be whatever you prefer: gluten free types work great (I use 1/2 rice flour, 1/2 almond meal), or if you’re going paleo use 1/2 coconut flour, 1/2 almond meal and add an extra 100 eggs).

Slice pumpkins in half and de-seed. Place flesh side down on cookie sheet in 1/4 inch of water. Roast at 350F for 30-40 minutes. Blend, skin-on (easiest while still warm) with coconut milk, honey and molasses. Beat eggs in separate bowl, mash in softened butter, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt. Blend pumpkin puree into egg mixture, and then flour, lightly, just until dry ingredients are moistened. Sprinkle in walnuts. Bake in greased cupcake tins @ 350F for 20-25 minutes, or bread pan for 35- 40 mins.

Rose gets every professional sport mixed up, “look, hockey!” she’ll say as we drive past the tennis courts, but she’s a whiz with a knife.

Benign and endearing flecks of pumpkin skin (which you will never detect in finished product).

With molasses and coconut milk added. (Sometimes I bake it just like this and call it custard!)

Cracking and beating eggs, for which I’m sure you’re grateful for the photo-instruction. 

Oh, the orangeness of the dough!

Pumpkin-phobia is apparently yesterday’s news.

Enjoy!

Pumpkinly yours,

Rachel

Linking with Homestead Revival Barn Hop