Where Did They All Go?

Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin muffins disappear fast at our house.  Last night for dinner there were 36 mini muffins.  There are only five of us so they should last a day or two you would think.  After dinner there was 26 muffins or so I thought.  I went to lay down to get off my foot for an hour and asked someone to grab a muffin for me to eat with my medicine.  To my surprise they were all gone!  My ten year old later confessed to eating them all.  So this morning he was trooper and made another batch.  Which I am sure will be gone before I am done typing this.  

I love finding recipes that I can eat and my kids will eat.  As I have done in the past I will put the recipe that I used as a guideline first and then what I changed following it.

One ingredient that I always find in pumpkin recipes,  that I can not eat, are egg's.  Egg's can be hard to replace in a recipe depending on what they are used for.  Egg's basically bind (so a sticky agent), leaven (make it light and airy), adds liquid, flavor, and add richness.  When trying to eliminate it you need to look at what purpose does it serve in the recipe.  

Using this pumpkin muffin recipe I am going to give you an idea of how I decide if egg's can be replaced or left out of a recipe.  The first thing I ask is, "would there anything else in the recipe that would help hold it together".  In this recipe the pumpkin puree, water and honey provide liquid or wet ingredients that will help it stick together. When using Ener G egg replacer I find that some recipes need a little more liquid because they are too dry, like in cookies.  This recipe did not need more liquid.

The next thing I look at is what helps it rise or give it lift.  Baking powder, baking soda, and yeast are three ingredients that create rise.  If your recipe contains any these you are fine and can successfully adapt the recipe.  If you are allergic to corn, baking powder is generally made with cornstarch as an anti caking agent.  You can replace 1 tsp baking powder with 1/2 tsp cream of tartar and 1/4 tsp baking soda.  Hain also makes a corn free baking powder.  You can buy this online or at Natural Grocer's in Logan, Utah. 

The last character I look at is flavor and richness.  It is next to impossible to replicate that.  So,  If  the recipe has a binder, an additional leavening, and enough liquid you should be able to replace the egg. As a side note your baked goods will be denser.  So I find that Whole Wheat flour and egg replacer are not a good combination.  So in the pumpkin muffin recipe I used Spelt flour and All purpose flour.  Spelt flour is not as dense as whole wheat flour.  I also wonder about whole wheat pastry flour.

Whole- Wheat Pumpkin Bread

I found this at http://www.100daysofrealfood.com a couple of years ago

Yield serves 10 -12

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cloves

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil 

1/2 cup honey

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup chopped tree nuts (optional)

Mix dry ingredients.  Make a hole in the center and add the remaining ingredients.  Mix until all incorporated.  Do not over mix.  Bake loaf for 30-40 min or muffins 18-22 min.  Check with a toothpick.  Makes 1 loaf or 12 muffins

Pumpkin Muffins

3/4 cup spelt flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cloves

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt

3 tsp egg replacer

Mix the above dry ingredient's together.  Make a hole in the center and add the remaining ingredients.

4 TBSP Water

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup applesauce

1/2 cup honey

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Fold until blended together.  Do not over blend.  Grease muffin tin!!!  I use a canola oil spray.  We like making mini muffins.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

I was right they are all gone!  I hope you enjoy this recipe like we have!