Pumpkin Muffins For Fall
by Holley Samuel MEd, RD, CSSD, CPT
It is officially fall, and while summer is my favorite season, fall is definitely second. I love all of the fall flavors like pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and in season recipes like roasted squashes, root vegetables, and soups… there’s nothing like fall in New England!
Maybe you are taking advantage of the cool crisp fall weather to train for a goal race too! When summer cools off and that fall air that’s several degrees cooler creeps in, it usually validates how much more efficient and speedy we can be as runners compared to slogging through the summer!
Even if training feels a little easier while you reap the benefits of summer’s heat training for a few weeks, don’t forget how incredibly important it is to fuel your body properly. If you have a longer distance race like a marathon coming up, you also want to be practicing your fuel plan, carb load plan, and fine tuning your hydration strategy so you don’t have any guessing to do come race day.
Here is a fall recipe that is one of my personal favorites to help you embrace the cooler weather, some pumpkin spice, and fuel your training!
Holley Fueled Pumpkin Muffin Recipe:
Makes: ~2 loaves or 24 muffins or 50 mini muffins
Ingredients
1 can pumpkin puree
1/3 cup orange juice
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter (substitute coconut oil if dairy free)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour (substitute oat flour if gluten free)
optional: add chocolate chips, walnuts, or cranberries for a flavor twist!
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F
Grease a large loaf pan, muffin tin, or mini muffin tin with cooking spray
In a bowl, combine dry ingredients.
Add in eggs, butter, orange juice, vanilla, maple syrup.
Fold in pumpkin and any chocolate chips, nuts, or cranberries if desired
Bake in the oven for 50-60 mins for large loaf, 20-30 mins for muffins, or 12-16 mins for mini muffins, or until a butter knife comes out clean
Remove from oven, cool for 10 mins, then remove from pan and cool completely. Enjoy!
Keeps on counter for about 1 week. Keeps in freezer for about 1 month. Enjoy as a pre run snack or post run carbohydrate source with a protein like Greek yogurt, milk, eggs, or nut butter to help refuel!