Tag: fall recipes

Pumpkin banana muffins

In recent years pumpkin spice and consequently pumpkins as a flavor in general have gotten the short end of the stick. Dubbed “basic” by many I thought it was high time we reclaimed the goodness that is pumpkin but this time with a twist. If you’re anything like me you have bananas staring down at you from wherever they are kept in your home, mine are above my fridge just begging to be used. So pumpkin-banana muffins it is! I found the perfect recipe so you don’t have to, all you have to do is bake!

 Not that I needed a reason to love pumpkins anymore than I already do but for my non-believers there are actually several health benefits to pumpkins. For starters they are rich with Vitamin A, which strengthens your immune system, never a bad thing especially in our current climate. Pumpkins are a great source of fiber and along with a whole slew of other vitamins and minerals is high in vitamin C which can be contributed to faster healing. Read on for the fall-in-a-bite vegan pumpkin banana muffins that will turn even the most anti pumpkin person into a pumpkin lover like the rest of us. 

Ingredients: 

  • 2 overripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Instructions: 

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prep your muffin pan by Lining it so nothing sticks and set the pan aside.

Step 2: First in your baking bowl add the bananas, pumpkin pure and brown sugar.

Step 3: Now mix together the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Step 4: Stir in the oil and vanilla extract.

Step 5: While being cautious not to over mix, begin to contribute the flour and gently fold until combined, note the batter is supposed to be thick. 

Step 6: Divide batter into muffin pan equally among the cups.

Step 7: Bake for 18 – 20 minutes.

Step 8: Cool in pan for 10 minutes & enjoy! This recipe makes roughly 12 muffins. 

Enjoy!

Sweet as Apple Pie

I grew up in a huge apple pie family. It could be the middle of July, but if the family was getting together, grandma made at least two pies for the occasion. As yummy as they are, apple pie isn’t the healthiest of recipes, so I scoured for something a bit more health-conscious that still gave me the same warm and cozy feeling as apple pie. 

Baked Cinnamon apples 

Difficulty level: Easy 

Ingredients:

  • 6 Apples 
  • 1 cup Old fashioned oats
  • 2 tablespoons of Coconut oil (melted)
  • 2 tablespoons Honey 
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon (I always fudge this with a little extra for good measure)
  • ½ teaspoon Ground ginger 
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ cup Pecans (chopped) 
  • Optional – Apple cider 

Step 1: Core your apples & preheat your oven to 400

First, slice the top of your apple to create a flat surface. Next, take a sharp knife and carefully cut out the center of your apple. The goal is to get the seeds and make an apple bowl, if you will. You can squeeze a little lemon juice on top to prevent browning. 

Step 2: Grease an 8×8 oven-safe dish with cooking spray or coconut oil 

Step 3: Time to combine your oats, pecans, and spices. Add in melted coconut oil and honey. Now stir.

Step 4: Place your cored apples on your dish, pour in your oat mixture as evenly as you can and press the filling towards the center of the apples. 

Step 5: Pour water (or apple cider) into the bottom of the baking dish, cover the apples with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. For extra flavor, baste the apples with cider every 10 minutes. 

 

Step 6: Uncover the apples for the last 5 minutes. 

The apples should be fork tender when cooked, let cool and enjoy!

 

*Recipe via thecleaneatingcouple.com