Healthy Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Muffins

Pumpkin Spice! You can hardly get away from it from October-December. Here's an easy and healthy
recipe what will put all that hype to shame, giving you a very satisfying and healthy muffin that's easy to make and almost guilt free! 

I discovered this recipe at Amy's Healthy Baking. The version reflected below incorporates an increased amount of Liquid Stevia recommended by Amy if you'd like a sweater muffin. Even with the increased amount, the muffins are not overly sweet making them great for breakfast, a snack, or pre-run fueling. My version also includes chocolate chips and walnuts. You can leave them out if desired. 

Healthy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins 

Yields: 12 muffins

They’ll keep for at least one week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Filling Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp. (90g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 6 tbsp. (84g) cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp liquid stevia
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients for Muffins:

• 2 cups (240g) white whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur's White Whole Wheat Flour)
• 1 tbsp. (8g) ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp. (14g) unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp liquid stevia
• ¼ cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup (244g) pumpkin purée, room temperature (not pumpkin pie mix)
• ½ cup (120mL) nonfat milk
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup walnut pieces

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a muffin tin with paper baking cups.

To prepare the filling, beat the Greek yogurt and cream cheese with a mixer until smooth and creamy. Add in the liquid stevia and vanilla. Beat until fully incorporated. Transfer to a zip-topped plastic bag.

To prepare the muffin batter, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg whites, vanilla, and liquid stevia. Stir in the Greek yogurt, mixing until no large lumps remain. Stir in the pumpkin purée. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.) Finally fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Evenly divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Cut the corner off of the zip-topped bag with the filling, and pipe the filling into the center of each muffin cup’s batter. (It’s okay if the filling sticks up over the top of the batter. The batter will rise around its sides as it bakes.)

Bake at 350°F for 20-23 minutes or until the pumpkin parts of the tops feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin part comes out clean. Cool in the muffin cups for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Storage Tip: Cool the muffins completely, place a sheet of waxed paper inside  a 1-gallon size plastic zippered baggie. Place the muffins in the bag onto of the waxed paper, zip up the bag and place them in the refrigerator.  I've found that heating a muffin for 15-20 secs in the microwave is perfect! (May very base on the microwave and personal preference.)

Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

If you're like me, you're always looking for a healthy breakfast, snack and/or fueling ideas that are easy to make with readily available ingredients. If it has chocolate in it, that's even better! 

I stumbled upon a recipe for "healthy chocolate peanut butter banana" muffins that looked pretty easy to make. I tried the original recipe and after a few batches, I tweaked it a bit making them even better for you!

The great thing about these muffins are you can make a batch or a double batch and freeze them. They freeze great in a zippered plastic baggie. Take one out when ready and heat it for about 30 secs. Because they are muffins, there's nothing to cut, no plate needed, and they transport easily for on-the-run eating. 

I've eaten these muffins for breakfast, as a mid afternoon snack, and I've eaten them for pre-run fueling and post-run refueling. Unlike muffins made with refined white flour and a lot of sugar, these muffins provide lasting energy.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 1/2 cup peanut butter creamy
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips and 1 cup walnut pieces

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375°F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Line a muffin tray with muffin liners and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. (I sift all the dry ingredients together.)

Next, peel the bananas and place them into a separate bowl. Mash until no lumps remain. A pastry cutter works great for this.  (I use 3 1/2 bananas if they are small.)

Add the honey, egg, apple sauce, oil, and peanut butter, beat with a hand mixer until all the ingredients are well combined.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Then fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Make sure to avoid over-mixing.

Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Some days 20 mins is good. Some days 25 mins is good. Test them at 20 mins with the tooth pick. Cook a little longer if needed, but avoid overcooking as it dries them out.

Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature.

TIPS

• Flour: I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour in the recipe. White whole wheat flour is milled from hard white spring wheat - a lighter-colored grain than traditional red wheat. It has the same benefits of traditional red wheat but yields a milder-tasting baked good that also has a lighter less dense feel than baked goods made with traditional whole wheat flour. 
• Applesauce: Make sure to use unsweetened applesauce. Sweetened has a lot of added sugars. 
• Don’t overmix: Fold the ingredients gently until just combined to avoid tough, dense muffins.
• Storage: Store in an air-tight container or a zippered baggie in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Reheat before serving.
• Freezing: Allow muffins to cool completely, then freeze in an air-tight container or a zippered baggie for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the microwave until warm.

NUTRITION FACTS (1 muffin):

• Calories 152
• Total Fat 9.7g (Sat Fat 1.6g)
• Cholesterol 8mg
• Sodium 67mg
• Total Carbohydrates 14.1g (Dietary Fiber 2.2g / Total Sugars 5 g)
• Protein 5g
• Vitamin D 4%
• Calcium 2%
• Iron 9%
• Potassium 4%