Flourless Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Sometimes mornings are hard. While I've become so much more of a morning person over the past few years, cooking a full breakfast while having a leisurely cup of coffee is not even remotely in my weekday routine. My breakfast generally consist of a smoothie or overnight oats. Anything you can throw together quickly (or the night before). 

These muffins were very easy to throw together and, stored properly, could easily last a few days. Better yet, the recipe is so simple, you could easily put in the extra 5 minutes to bake them in the morning. They make a very filling breakfast and a great way to start the day, if I don't say so myself.

Flourless Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Makes 16

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 28-30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin
¼ cup canola oil              
2 eggs
1 ¼ cup vanilla soymilk
3 cups old fashion rolled oats2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with cupcake papers
2. Combine oil, sugar, pumpkin and eggs until just combined.
3. Gently whisk in milk. 
4. Separately combine oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and fold into wet mixture. 
5. Scoop ¼ cup of batter into each liner and top with whatever goodies you'd like. Crushed macadamia nuts, sliced almonds or white chocolate chips are all delicious. 
6. Bake for 25-28 minutes. 

Hope you enjoy!

 

 

Pumpkin French Toast

I truly believe fresh is always better.  That being said, I would rather stump my toe on hot coals than try to puree a pumpkin again.  An old roommate and I had a go at making pumpkin pie from scratch several years ago. That pie remains on my top 10 list of the worst things I have ever eaten.  So, the following recipe is super easy and uses canned pumpkin.  French toast is one of my favorite breakfast foods and is so easy to make.  This made a small batch for two or three people (6-8 slices of toast)

Pumpkin French Toast

Makes 8 slices

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
  bread (I used white, but wheat works as well)
  ¼ cup pureed pumpkin

  ½ cup milk

  2 eggs

  ½ teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
  ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  Maple syrup

Directions:

1.  Grease a skillet with butter and bring to medium heat
   
2.  Whisk together your eggs, milk, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg
   
3.  Dip a slice of bread in the egg mixture, make sure the bread is covered and move to skillet
   
4.  Cook on medium heat until the egg is fully cooked, look for a light brown color before flipping (approximately 3-4 minutes on each side).

Notes:
   French toast can  be easily saved for later by freezing it between sheets of parchment paper and reheated by toaster or microwave.