Pumpkin-Oat Muffins OR Banana-Oat Muffins – You Choose!

Ingredients

o 1½ cups rolled oats (see Tip)

o 1 teaspoon baking powder

o 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice

o ¼ teaspoon baking soda

o ¼ teaspoon salt

o 2 large egg

o 1 cup unseasoned pumpkin puree OR

o 1 cup mashed banana; 2-3 bananas

o ¾ cup packed light brown sugar for pumpkin - ½ cup + 2 TBSP for Banana

o 3 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil

o 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

o Optional – Sprinkle pumpkin seeds to the tops of Pumpkin or add walnuts to the Banana

o ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips or chopped dried cranberries – optional for a dessert

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with muffin liners.

Pulse oats in a blender until finely ground. Add baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt; pulse once or twice to blend.

Add eggs, pumpkin or banana, brown sugar, oil and vanilla; puree until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips (or cranberries) if using.

Fill the prepared muffin cups two-thirds full.

Bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn out to cool completely.

• Tip: People with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should use oats that are labeled “gluten-free,” as oats are often cross-contaminated with wheat and barley

• Nutrition information Serving size: 1 muffin: 164 calories;  6 g fat(1 g sat);  2g fiber;  26 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 12 mcg folate;  32 mg cholesterol;  18 g sugars; 16 g added sugars; 3,200 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin C; 52 mg calcium; 2mg iron; 122 mg sodium; 128mg potassium