Wholesome pumpkin muffins

These pumpkin muffins are the perfect way to use the innards of your halloween carving efforts.

I’d definitely recommend heading to a farm shop not the supermarket to buy your pumpkins - the price isn’t that different, but the pumpkins you’ll get will be a variety much nicer for eating. It makes a nice outing with the kids to choose too.

These pumpkins are made with wholewheat flour, low on added sugar and use rapeseed oil for a source of omega 3s! Winner! They can easily be made vegan too!

To prepare your pumpkin:

1. cut the top off in a circle around the stalk

2. scrap out the seeds (these you can wash, dry in a tea towel and then roast for 40 mins at 140 degrees celsius…they can be eaten whole in their shells or cracked open to eat the seed only)

3. scrap out the stringing bit and throw away

4. now for some elbow grease! Use a large metal spoon and lying the pumpkin on it’s side scrap up the sides of the pumpkin, turning it round slowly as you go to get to all sides.

5. tip out the scrapings into a large pan

6. continue scrapping and tipping until you have no strength left, your pan is full or you have got most of the pumpkin flesh out (don’t make the sides too thin or it won’t stand up to carving)

7. put a lid on the pan and put on a low heat until the pumpkin is pulpy and soft (much like cooked apple)

8. Use a stick blender to puree and you are ready to make muffins!…

Muffin Ingredients: V = vegan alternative

• 1/3 cup (83ml) rapeseed oil

• 1/2 cup honey OR V maple syrup

• 2 eggs OR V 2 tbsp. chia seeds + 6 tbsp. cold water mixed and left in the fridge for 15 minutes

• 1 cup pureed pumpkin

• 1/4 cup milk of your choice (I used pea milk as I had some left over)

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ginger

• few grates of fresh nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp ground allspice

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 3/4 cups wholewheat flour

• 1/3 cup oats

• 1/3 cup raisins

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160C fan

2. Line muffin tin or grease (I use silicon muffin cases, they are awesome!)

3. In a large bowl whisk together the oil and honey using a hand whisk

4. Add the eggs and whisk until combined

5. Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla essence, spices, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt (I don’t usually add salt, but think these need it) and stir until combined

6. Add the flour, oats and raisins and stir with a large metal spoon until just combined. The key with muffins is to not over mix!

7. Spoon the batter into your muffin tin and bake for 22-25 minutes. Check with a metal skewer or the tip of a small knife to check done. Insert into centre of muffin and if comes out clean they are done.

8. Allow to cool for 3 mins in the silicon cases on a cooling rack and then remove to allow to cool completely.

   These muffins can be frozen.