Hearty Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Ingredients

1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
1 cup (130g) whole wheat flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
¾ cup (160g) olive oil 
¾ cup (180g) milk 
4 large eggs
1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1 (425g) can pumpkin puree  
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups raw pumpkin seeds

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a mixer or whisk until completely combined. Batter will be thick. Stir in half of the pumpkin seeds.

3. Pour/spoon the batter into the liners and fill only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. Sprinkle the remaining pumpkin seeds on top of the muffins. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

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Quick Tips

• Asides from pumpkin seeds, pecans, walnuts and sunflower seeds are a good substitute and addition for this muffin. 

• Pumpkin spice can be store bought or made at home with the following ground spices: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and clove. The amounts for each vary depending on the recipes. 

• Pumpkin is a good source of copper, fiber, iron, manganese, vitamin A, B5 and E.