Pumpkin-Coconut Muffins
Perhaps I’ve spent too many hours in the Caribbean sun, but I think pumpkins and coconuts should occupy a more prominent place on the American table. They both have a smooth, silky flavor, are durable to ship and easy to grow, and are endlessly versatile in sweet and savory dishes. There’s pumpkin bread, pumpkin-stuffed raviolis, pumpkin dip (especially terrific with apples and pears), and pumpkin soup…and equally-luscious coocnut smoothies, coconut fish curries, coconut macaroons, and coconut chicken. (If you’re still not convinced, try to imagine the world without piña coladas. Takes some of the fun out of it, doesn’t it? And Thanksgiving would seem incomplete without pumpkin pie.)
Since I’m such a proponent of pumpkins and coconuts, I thought I’d create muffins with both. (Coconut milk is also a great substitute for dairy milk, especially if you skip the “light” coconut milk and go straight for the much-better-tasting, much-more-nutritious whole milk.) These muffins make a great breakfast or snack; you could also top them off with a scoop of high-quality ice cream and a splash of maple syrup for dessert. And making the muffins is simple — all you need is two mixing bowls, a whisk, and a mixing spoon.
Pumpkin-Coconut Muffins*
*Note: these are gluten-free muffins. If you want to make them with standard wheat flour, use 2 cups of wheat flour in place of the brown rice and teff flours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare muffin tins by either greasing them well or filling them with paper muffin cups.
In a large bowl, whisk together:
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup teff flour
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. sea salt
In a smaller bowl, whisk together:
1 cup pumpkin, either canned or freshly-roasted, peeled, and mashed
1/3 cup maple syrup, preferably Grade B
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla
Stir wet ingredients into dry ones until just blended. If you like, add a handful of dried berries (cranberries or cherries work best) and/or chopped nuts (walnuts and pecans are tasty options).
Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 22 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Enjoy!
Also note: in addition to being gluten-free, these muffins just happen to be dairy-free, egg-free, and sugar-free — if you know someone with lots of food sensitivities, these might just be the muffins for them!
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Tags: breakfast, coconut, gluten-free, muffin, pumpkin
