a little pumpkin

This post isn't about Elliott, although he is a little pumpkin (especially when sleeping), and I couldn't resist showing this sweet photo of him cuddled with his uncle Tim post-Thanksgiving Day dinner.

This post, however, is about the real sort of pumpkin. The sort that I love in just about every concoction except traditional pumpkin pie. Weird, I know.

Pumpkin muffins, however . . . well, let's just say I shudder to think how many I've eaten over the last five days. But when a girl is perfecting her recipe, many batches must be tried. Bellyaches aside, I am pleased to say that have landed on the moistest, tastiest and, yes, perhaps healthiest pumpkin muffin recipe ever.

If you, too, are a fan of pumpkin, I suggest you roast a pumpkin or open a can and give it a try. Or, if you are not a fan, check out these recipes for Pumpkin Caramel Gingersnap Cheesecake and Pumpkin Caramel Bars with Bacon. Warning: They are not healthy. But they may cure you of an aversion to pumpkin. I mean, really, how can you go wrong with caramel, or bacon? And since we are now looking at unhealthy pumpkin recipes, be sure not to miss one of my favorite autumn treats: Southwestern Pumpkin Soup. I made it last night, in fact. Needed some heavy cream to wash all those muffins down.

Now, onto our healthy pumpkin recipe. . .

The Best Pumpkin Muffins

Mix together:
1 cup pumpkin puree or 1/2 can pumpkin
1/3 cup melted coconut oil (if you don't have it, you can use butter)
2 eggs
3/4 honey and/or pure maple syrup

Whisk together and add to mixture above:
2 cups flour (I like the Ultragrain flour or use a mix of multipurpose and whole wheat pastry flour if you can)
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 cinnamon, 1/4 nutmeg, 1/4 allspice, 1/4 clove, 1/4 ginger)
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional).

Spoon into a greased muffin tin and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Makes a dozen.