Pumpkin Muffins for the Vata Autumn Season

Healthy food that is delicious is everyone's favorite, isn't it? These pumpkin muffins are perfect for autumn, because of the Ayurvedic approach.

Pumpkin itself is truly an autumn product. In addition, spices have been used that are not only tasty, but also very good for digestion. And baking them is also a wonderful autumn activity. No worries... they are made in no time.

Ingredients (+/- 10 muffins) organic if possible:

Dry ingredients:

• 175 grams oat flour (ground oatmeal)
• 50 grams almond flour
• 10 grams of shredded coconut
• 2 teaspoons of tartar baking powder
• 1½ to 3 teaspoons of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon vanilla powder (unsweetened)
• ½ teaspoon ginger powder
• pinch of cardamom powder
• pinch of clove powder
• pinch of himalayan salt

Wet ingredients:

• 300 grams of pumpkin puree from butternut squash
• 1 ripe banana
• 60 ml of maple syrup
• 3 eggs or 3 flax eggs (from 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 9 tablespoons of water)
• 2 tablespoons of white almond butter

For additional fluffiness:

• ½ teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

Other ingredients:

• coconut oil or ghee for greasing

Supplies

• Food processor or (hand) blender
• Muffin tin

Preparation

Pumpkin muffins

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC
• If you don't use eggs, make flax eggs from 3 tablespoons of finely ground flaxseed with 9 tablespoons to mix, stir well and then leave for 5 minutes.

Tip: If  you don’t have finely ground flaxseed at hand, but broken flaxseeds? Then grind it fine with a mortar or in the food processor.

• Puree the wet ingredient with a (hand) blender or food processor into a smooth batch: pumpkin, banana, maple syrup, (flax) eggs, white almond butter
• Mix the dry ingredients: oat flour, almond flour, coconut grater, tartar baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, cardamom, clove, and Himalaya salt.

I personally love cinnamon and add 3 teaspoons to the recipe. If you like that taste to be less present, 1.5 teaspoons of each is probably the right amount for you.

• Mix the dry with the wet ingredients (for example with a food processor).
• Add the baking soda and apple cider vinegar (this is going to foam and fizz!) And stir it into the dough.

Vegan baking is harder to get fluffy, but the baking soda with apple cider vinegar helps. Also if you do use eggs, its a good addition

• Grease the muffin tin with coconut oil or ghee and put the batter in it.
• Bake the pumpkin muffins in about 30 minutes (at 180ºC in the oven).
• Remove the pumpkin muffins from the oven and let them cool before eating

Pumpkin puree

Pumpkin puree is easier to make than you might think. However, it does take some time, so it is helpful to take that into account in advance. 

I think peeling a not yet prepared pumpkin is almost a nightmare, but I have found an alternative: to peel the pumpkin after it has been in the oven instead of before.

• Preheat the oven to 150ºC
• Wash the pumpkin, cut it in half, place it on the flat side and cut notches
• Grease the flat sides with a little bit of coconut oil
• Put the pumpkin in an oven dish with a very small layer of water
• Bake the pumpkin in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes
• Remove the pumpkin from the oven and let it cool
• Remove the pumpkin seeds with a spoon (you can eat these too!)
• Peel the cooled pumpkin and cut it into pieces
• Puree the required amount of pumpkin with a hand blender, blender or food processor

What to do with the rest of the pumpkin?

You can store the pumpkin puree in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Storing it in the freezer is possible as well. Or use it in another dish (like pumpkin oatmeal, pumpkin soup or in curry)

The pumpkin seeds are also delicious and healthy. I first soak them in water overnight with a little bit of salt.

Enjoy your habits today with love and light.

Aimée Kuntz

Never ever again miss anything from our yoga blog?

Do you want to implement more yoga lifestyle habits, step by step? To become more relax and create & enjoy your ideal life by heart? To live according to your intention? Your pursuit of happiness? It is our goal to help you with this. 
SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER and never again miss any of our yoga blogs again.