Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins

A current favorite recipe around here is pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. The girls love them because of the chocolate chips. This mama is happy to bake them often because they are made with lots of goodies: whole wheat flour, flaxseed, pumpkin. And in case gail drops by for a chat, these muffins are vegan too!

I've adapted this recipe a bit from the original. I've noticed that using packed pumpkin from the tin results in a very thick, dry batter (not so when I roast and puree my own, thus the substitutions I include), but the finished texture is fine. I swapped chocolate chips for the recommended carob (mostly because I can't find good carob chips) and cut the added sugar in half. The original also recommends cinnamon-sugar sprinkled over the top, which is yummy but no one notices when I leave it off. The muffins are fully yummy in this sugar-reduced state, so I may continue to cut it down a tablespoon at a time.

Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins

adapted from "Vegan Lunch Box" by Jennifer McCann

1 cup pureed pumpkin, sweet potato or butternut squash

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup canola oil

2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed/linseed

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 2/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda/bicarb

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (ground fresh is best)

1/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with muffin cups.

Put pumpkin, water, canola oil, flaxseed and vanilla in a blender or food processor and process on high for at least 1 minute, until light in color and well-blended.

In large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add pumpkin mixture and mix with wooden spoon or spatula until well-blended.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Spoon into muffin cups.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes in the pan; then, remove from tin and finish cooling on wire rack.