Vegan Pumpkin Carob Chip Muffins Recipe

• 1 cup plain canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) or pureed butternut squash
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 2/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/3 cup vegan carob chips
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• Perfect Cinnamon-Sugar (see below)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a nonstick muffin tin with nonstick spray or line the tin with paper muffin cups and spray the cups with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2. Put the pumpkin, water, canola oil, flaxseed, and vanilla in a blender and process on high for at least 1 minute, until light in color and well blended. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pastry flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the pumpkin mixture and mix with a wooden spoon or large spatula until well blended. Fold in the carob chips and pecans.
4. Spoon the batter into the muffin tin, distributing evenly to make twelve muffins. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with some Perfect Cinnamon-Sugar.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then use a spatula to gently lift each muffin from the muffin tin. Finish cooling on a wire rack.

Perfect Cinnamon-Sugar

1. Whisk together 3/4 cup sugar with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and store in a sugar shaker. Use as a sweet sprinkle on porridge, toast, or soy yogurt.

From the book Vegan Lunch Box by Jennifer McCann. Reprinted by arrangement with Da Capo Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright © 2008.