Maple pumpkin mini muffins

Healthy maple pumpkin mini muffins -- great for breakfasts or snacks -- easy to make and easy to eat!

Maple pumpkin mini muffins

WE MADE IT!!!

Another Detox January is over and we didn't die. See? I told you it wouldn't be that hard.

Final results? I'm down nine pounds, Mr. Ninj lost more than ten and we are feeling all svelte and healthy (well, svelte-ish and healthy-ish).

Now, in past years, the end of Detox January usually meant the beginning of Retox February, unfortunately. But I've done a better job of dealing with denial this year. That is, I didn't ban all cookies and sweets or anything crazy like that so that we (hopefully) wouldn't go overboard when we were "allowed" to eat them again.

Case in point: last week's black bean chocolate cookies, which were a not-so-bad-for-you indulgence that let me have my cake and eat it, too -- almost literally.

So I thought we'd end this year's Detox January on a positive note, to keep us rolling into a Less-Toxy February and beyond.

Baked goods are tricky when it comes to trying to make a recipe healthier. I often substitute applesauce for oil or butter in cookies or muffins, but they can often end up a little too rubbery as a result. When Mr. Ninj eats one and says "This is healthy, isn't it?" (and not in an excited way), it generally means it's too rubbery.

That's where the stealthy part of my cooking comes in (again, I refer you back to those black bean chocolate cookies). I went through a bit of experimenting with this muffin recipe to find the perfect balance of taste, texture and nutrition.

I think you'll agree that it turned out pretty well.

I made these mini muffins for breakfast, but they ended up being a pretty convenient afternoon snack as well. If it weren't Detox January, I might have thrown in some chocolate chips, although then I couldn't justify eating them for breakfast. I leave that up to you.

While Detox January may be over for 2013, you can stay inspired until next year by following my special Detox January Pinterest board.

If you played along with us this Detox January, how did you do? The Ninj wants to know.

Maple Pumpkin Mini Muffins

(inspired by The Yummy Life)
Note: This recipe makes a lot of mini muffins but they freeze nicely.


Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or 1 cup regular flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour)
2-3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 - 1/2 cup maple syrup (depending on how maple-y you want them to be)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk the first 6 ingredients (flour through salt) together and set aside. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and then add all the remaining ingredients; blend well. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix well.

Pour the batter into mini muffin pans sprayed with non-stick cooking spray (fill each cup nearly all the way). Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

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www.yankeekitchenninja.com
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