Oct
24
2013
Pumpkins: More than Just Something to Carve
SHARED By: Koren Feinstein, Chef at Kitchen Little Cooking School
Pumpkins are not only a fall decorating staple, they’ve made their way into the kitchen as well. Besides tasting good, pumpkins pack a powerful nutritional punch! They are a great source for beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, potassium and fiber. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc and unsaturated fatty acids.
Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins
Makes 12 Muffins
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
- 1 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Cup Canned Pumpkin Puree (*See TIPS)
- ¼ cup Dried Cranberries
- 1 ½ Cups Maple Syrup
- ½ Cup Canola Oil
- 2 Large Eggs
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees
- Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the pumpkin, maple syrup, oil, eggs, vanilla and cranberries.
- Stir in the flour mixture until just blended.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups.
- Bake 20 minutes/or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.
- Allow muffins to cool and store in an airtight container.
Tip: Make your own pumpkin puree: Make sure you use a sugar pumpkin. Cut pumpkin in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down in a baking dish with one-inch water. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until the flesh is soft. Pulse the pumpkin in a food processor until smooth.