Banana Pumpkin Muffins w/Optional Crunchy Tops

I made this recipe up after hearing a friend make something like this, but with eggs. My challenge was to make them as moist and lifted as the eggy ones. These turned out so tasty, moist and lovely. My husband hates bananas, yet he thoroughly enjoyed these. I will make them again!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare muffin tins by placing paper into them or greasing them. This recipe makes approx. 18 muffins.

Sift together dry ingredients (sugar will go in wet ingredients below) in a large bowl and set aside:

2 cups flour

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp allspice

a dash of ground cloves

Mash 3 very ripe bananas in a bowl and add

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 cup canned organic pumpkin

1/3+ cup melted coconut oil

1/4 cup water

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

Mix well and gently fold wet into dry ingredients until just moistened. Do not overmix. Spoon gently into prepared muffin tins. If you want crunchy tops, follow the next step, otherwise, skip over it and see baking instructions below.

Crunchy tops:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

3-4 Tblsp melted butter

Mix all topping ingredients together in a small bowl until the mixture turns into a crumb-like texture and press about a tablespoon of the topping into the top of the uncooked muffins.

BAKE: 350 for 25-30 minutes. Mini muffins, check after 10 to 15 minutes. When the top puffs back up when gently pressed, they are done.

Cheers!

~Miriam

© 2012, Miriam Mason

Sugar Pumpkin or Butternut Squash Soup

This recipe is based losely on a number of recipes I researched and tried out. I found the simplest approach to my version be best. The soup is already complex tasting if you pick ripe in season vegetables (local is even better).

2 sugar pumpkins or 2 large butternut squash

3 C chicken stock
1 C full fat coconut milk (canned)
1/2 t. ground nutmeg (fresh grind will be better)
1 t. ground sage
2-3 teaspoons salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut pumpkins/butternut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Spray a large glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place pumpkins/butternut squash, flesh side down on the baking dish and roast until soft to the touch or when poked with a fork through the skin, about 45 minutes. Remove pumpkins/butternut squash from oven and let them cool down. Once they are cool enough to handle scrape flesh from skins into a food processor. Discard the skins.

Add chicken stock to the pumpkin and puree. Pour soup into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in full fat coconut milk, nutmeg, sage and salt. Mix well and remove from heat. Garnish with parsley.

Serve with Big Buttermilk Biscuits and a lettuce and tomato salad with a simple oil/vinegar dressing.

Cheers!
~Miriam