Pumpkin Muffins & Disappointment

Yesirreeeee.  I'm breaking out another sweet recipe for your eating pleasure. 


Have you ever been truly disappointed in your child? Felt the heart-wrenching pain in your body as your child tells you something that you wouldn't dare imagine?  Experienced an out-of-body phenomena with no comprehension of time or space?  The sadness...the cold rush to your face...the mind-numbing sorrow that consumes your every breath?

I felt that way this morning.

When she told me she didn't like pumpkin muffins. (heehee)

I was like, "WHOA.  Hold on there, Missy.  What are you talking about?"

She was like, "I just don't like them, Mom."

I was like, "Even with chocolate chips?  With nuts?  With whipped cream on top?  Like a pumpkin PIE?"

She was like, "Nope.  I don't even like pumpkin pie."

OH.MY.GOSH.  Breathe, Carrie.  Breathe.

So goes my attempt to influence her like any mother would. 

With force, if necessary.

So I made these.  While juggling church clothes and baths and
"I can't believe you poured out the whole bottle of shampoo, Kai!" and "You are going to have to pay me back for that.  You are now my slave for life."

They turned out pretty tasty, if I do say so myself.  And in good 'ol Carrie fashion, they have a bit of healthy flare, too;) They are really moist in consistency because of the yogurt, so as usual, expect that. 

Not Disappointing Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice (or a mixture of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup turbinado sugar, plus some for sprinking (you can sub white sugar)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans shipped from Georgia (not kidding)
1 cup chocolate chips


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin tins. In a medium bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, spices, and baking soda and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk oil, applesauce, pumpkin puree, yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and sugar to combine.  Add pecans, chocolate chips, and reserved dry ingredients. Mix just until moistened (do not over mix).
Spoon batter into muffin tins; sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pan.

(this looks like a cookie.  but it's not.  it's just the top of the muffin.  darn my artistic food photography.)

Verdict

Brianna:  "These are good, but can you put more pecans in them next time?"

Kai:  "I don't like the nuts. Take them OUT." (but he HAS just finished his 8th of the day)

(SIGH)