Continually on my quest to add more vegetables into the diet, I was interested to find the local supermarket stocked tins of pureed pumpkin, with nothing added. Obviously, using freshly cooked pumpkin is going to be nutritionally superior, but as a quick ‘back-up’ in the cupboard, pureed pumpkin can be helpful.
When in season, fresh pumpkin may be peeled, diced, cooked and pureed for the Pumpkin Pie Muffins. Because it is so hard to purchase whole pumpkins other than at the end of October, you can easily freeze the puree in 1/2 cup portions, ready to use at other times of the year. Alternatively you simply replace pumpkin with cooked and pureed squash.
I have called this recipe ‘Pumpkin Pie Muffins’ because of the warm spice combination that is traditionally used in sweet pumpkin pie recipes. The mix consists in varying proportions of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice, but this can easily be replaced with the ‘Mixed Spice’ found on our Supermarket shelves.
Pumpkin contains beta carotene, which is converted to vitamin A. This valuable nutrient is important for good immune health and eye health. Pumpkin is also a great source of fibre, helping to fill you up and keep digestion working smoothly. This is a low carb snack, containing beneficial fats, helping to release energy through the day. Use Pumpkin Pie Muffins as a breakfast, topped with whisked coconut milk, or as a snack, topped with some sunflower seed cream. You can of course eat the muffins plain, and enjoy the dense texture and sweet spice any time of the day!