Orange n' Pumpkin Muffins (high altitude)
Why I Love This Recipe
When it comes to food, I want flavor, sublime texture, beautiful aroma. Yet, I'm tiny and don't need a million calories per day. In fact, it's difficult to get all of the vitamins and minerals that I need from just my daily diet (which is difficult for someone eating 2,500 calories per day--I eat less than 1,500 per day). On top of that, I boosted my carbs for training (great aspirations to run a half marathon in a couple of months). And, then there's Hawaii -- I have a trip planned and absolutely must look good in my bikini!
I needed something easy for breakfast that was delicious and fit the bill healthwise. Here's the result. A muffin based from pumpkin, perfumed up with a whole orange (yes, not just the juice), and speckled with carrot and flax (you won't even notice the carrot). Oh, and it's gluten free.
Please note, I bake at a higher altitude (around 4,500 feet). Recipe may need to be modified for use at lower altitude.
Ingredients You'll Need
The Dry Stuff:
2/6 C Brown Rice Flour (about 100 grams)
1/3 C White Rice Flour (65 grams)
1/4 C Potato Starch (40 grams)
1/10 C Dark Teff Flour (20 grams)
4 Scoops Jarrow Whey Protein Powder (Vanilla)
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Guar Gum
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
The Wet Stuff:
2 Medium Carrots (122 grams)
3/4 C Light or Medium Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 C Pumpkin (Canned or Homemade Puree)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 C Canola Oil
1/2 C Flax Seed (whole)
1/4 C Granulated Sugar
1 Orange (Peel and Fruit)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350.
Add The Dry Stuff to a large bowl and whisk until combined.
Peel Carrots (chop ends off) and using a food processor, grate Carrots (fine) and leave grated Carrot in the food processor bowl. Add all of The Wet Stuff except the Orange.
With the Orange, using a food peeler, peel fine strips from Orange peel (orange color only, don't get the white stuff). You can use just about the entire orange worth of peel. Once peeled, use a sharp knife and chop into itty bitty pieces. Add to food processor. Peel the remaining orange and add the fruit to the food processor (avoid adding any seeds). Once all of The Wet Stuff including grated orange peel and fruit are in the food processor, whirl it into a puree with the blade attachment. (I let it run for a few minutes).
Pour The Wet Stuff (now a puree) over the top of The Dry Stuff and gently fold to blend--you don't want any lumps or dry areas, but the less mixing the better.
Prepare muffin pan with cooking spray. Scoop batter into pan.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Makes 12 happy muffins.
Nutrition Info (this is just an estimate--your muffins will not match exactly):
Cal: 268
Carbs: 40g
-Fiber: 4g
-Starch: 14g
-Sugar: 20g
Fat: 9g
-Omega 3: 2g
-Omega 6: 1.5g
-Saturated: 1.5g
-Trans-Fat: 0g
-Cholesterol: 31g
Protein: 10g
High (>20% recommended daily value) in various vitamins and minerals.
