Oh, my my! The taste of fall is here…and it is in my mouth!
So, this recipe popped up on one of my Twitter feeds the other day. I had never heard of Kayla Aimee’s blog and definitely had never heard of Pumpkin Nutella Muffins…but good lord almighty were they a great idea! And they are gluten and dairy free!

I was rowdy last night after a fun date night with the hubby at our county fair, so I got baking! [As if the pita-less gyro and 2 deep-fried Oreos weren’t enough!] These muffins were super easy to get together and I had most of the ingredients in the pantry. Super perk? They are generally pretty healthy…if you can stick to eating 1 or 2…I cannot.

http://instagram.com/p/tHCoVsgcgt/

***

healthier pumpkin nutella mini muffins:.
[gluten & dairy free]

yield: ~40 mini muffins
per 2 mini muffins: ~190 calories | 5g protein | 4g fiber | 15g sugar

ingredients

• 3 cup gluten free flour [I used 1 cup oat flour & 2 cups almond meal]
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tbsp honey
• 4 tbsp agave nectar
• 1/3 cup Domino Stevia/Sugar Blend
• 3 eggs [I used 9 tbsp liquid egg whites, which equals 3 eggs]
• 15 oz can of 100% pure pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup Nutella [warmed/softened]
• 1 cup cacao chips [roughly 80 chips]

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In stand mixer, beat the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, applesauce, honey, and agave together until mixed well and smooth.
3. In separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients well–the flour(s), cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
4. With stand mixer on low, fold dry mix into pumpkin mix.
5. Grease/spray muffin tins and fill with ingredient mixture.
6. Warm the Nutella in the microwave or on the stove (be careful and slow here…it will burn). Then dollop and swirl a tad onto the top of each unbaked, filled muffin cup. Sprinkle 2-4 cacao chips on top of each.
7. Bake 20-30 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean).
8. Let cool and enjoy!

[NOTE: Store for 4-5 days in the fridge. Pumpkin and applesauce don’t keep their consistency much longer than that. You can also try subbing some of the flour with an all-natural, plant-based protein powder.]