Flourless Pumpkin Blender Muffins with Walnuts and Raisins

Flourless Pumpkin Blender Muffins with Walnuts and Raisins

So nice to wake up to these yummy muffins this morning!

The other day I opened up a BIG can of Libby's Pumpkin Puree. 

First, I made up a batch of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies; the ladies at the knit shop loved them. They are tender and cake-like; they kind of remind me of muffin tops (the best part of a muffin!). Here is the recipe:

http://www.cookiemadness.net/2008/10/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies-with-oil/

I also made up half of a batch of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Bites; I made this recipe several weeks ago.  They are delicious!  I keep them in the freezer and just defrost a few here and there (the ladies at the knit shop loved these, too!).  Here is the recipe:

http://kimscookingfrenzy.blogspot.com/2016/08/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-energy-balls.html?m=0

I still had about half of the big can of pumpkin puree in my refrigerator yesterday.  Not wanting it to go to waste, I found a few more recipes to make using up the last of the pumpkin. 

If you've been following along the past few weeks, you know that I've recently discovered Flourless Blender Muffins.  The muffin batter is mixed in a blender and the muffins are flourless because rolled oats are used in place of any flour.  A week or two ago, I TRIED to make up Flourless Blender Muffins with pumpkin based on the successful recipe I had been making.  My Flourless Pumpkin Blender Muffins were an EPIC FLOP!  There was not enough moisture in the mix and the batter would not blend.  I went to take the lid off of my Ninja Blender (which screws on tightly), and a lot of pressure had built up in the blender. I had a Blender Blow Out! Pumpkin-oat GOO everywhere.  I tried to salvage the batter by adding in some unsweetened almond milk.  I baked the muffins but they just were not good. They tasted more liked baked oatmeal (but not in a good way!) and I ended up throwing them out. What a waste! 

So I was all to happy to try out a new recipe for Flourless Blender Muffins with Pumpkin where someone else already did the experimentation for me.  I made these muffins last night and I am really pleased with them.  They are dense, hearty, moist, and flavorful, but they are only slightly sweet.  If you like sweeter muffins you can easily increase the sweetness by adding more sugar or maple syrup (or honey).  If you use vanilla yogurt in place of the plain yogurt, or if you use sweetened applesauce in place of the unsweetened applesauce, then of course your muffins would be a little sweeter.  I was worried about my muffins a bit because my pumpkin puree, yogurt, and eggs, were all cold right out of the refrigerator when I blended up my muffin batter.  It would be preferable to let your cold ingredients come up to room temperature or at least sit out on the counter top for a bit.  Despite my ingredients being cold, my muffins turned out fine; however, I do think I had to bake them just a tad longer.

Here is the link to the recipe I made yesterday:

http://www.runningwithspoons.com/2015/11/20/pumpkin-oat-greek-yogurt-muffins/

I did make a few alterations to the recipe and you will find my version below.  My alterations included the following:

I added a bit of salt

I omitted the chocolate chips and added walnuts and raisins

I used 1/2 the recommended amount of yogurt and substituted unsweetened applesauce

I used brown sugar and maple syrup in place of the sweetener recommended

I decreased the cooking temperature from 400 degrees to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

Flourless Pumpkin Blender Muffins with Walnuts and Raisins

Adapted from www.runningwithspoons.com

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups rolled oats (old fashioned)
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar (not packed)
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or honey)
• 1½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup raisins
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
• pumpkin seeds for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare a muffin pan by spraying cavities with cooking spray or lining them with paper liners. Set aside.
2. Add all ingredients except for raisins and chopped walnuts to a blender or food processor and process on high until oats are broken down and batter is smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in raisins and chopped walnuts by hand by hand.
3. Pour batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each cavity until it is about ¾ full. Sprinkle a few pumpkin seeds, if desired.
4. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the tops of your muffins are set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in pan for ~10 minutes before removing. Store in an air-tight container for up to a week.  Muffins also freeze well.

Here are some photos from the hikes I took yesterday.  In the morning, we were up at Tunnel Drive (below).  You can see the Arkansas River and Grape Creek in this photo.

In the afternoon, we were hiking up on Skyline Drive and the Hogbacks.  We found a furry friend along the way.

I recently discovered that my iPhone tracks my steps, distance walked, and changes in elevation.  It's fun to see.  Below is a summary of yesterday's hikes: