Fall is setting in, so I wanted to bake some nice warm treats for the kids. Nope, it had nothing to do with my cravings for baked goods. It was all about the kids. Sometimes it’s hard being so selfless. Because it is finally autumn, I wanted to bake something with pumpkin but I also wanted something with lots of protein; these chocolate chip pumpkin muffins were perfect. Not only are they high in protein, fiber, and healthy fat, they’re also low glycemic so you won’t have crazy blood sugar swings and variations in energy after eating them. These little muffins are fantastic for a snack, breakfast, or pre-workout boost (since snack since the oil from the coconut is burned immediately as energy).

Ingredients



3/4 cup coconut flour

3/4 cup coconut palm sugar

2 tsp pumpkin spice

2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp celtic sea salt

9 organic eggs (room temperature)

2 tbsp maple

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup coconut oil,

melted

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

2 tbsp coconut milk

1 cup dark chocolate chips, if desired

Before you begin, make sure you leave your eggs out so that they can warm to room temperature, or close to it. Cold eggs won’t mix well with the melted coconut oil.

Directions:

Preh eat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in a small to medium bowl. Now mix all ingredients, except for the chocolate, together until well blended. Fold in the dark chocolate chips if you’d like. (I did half with and half without.) Fill your silicon muffins cups (best baking investment ever) or paper muffin cups 2/3 of the way full. Bake for about 25 minutes (or until a butter knife comes out clean) and eat ’em while the chocolate is still melting!

This recipe makes about 18 muffins.

I have to say, they turned out to be amazing! Even my daughter, who tends not to like bake goods, took a rare liking to these. My son Tate ate five… yes, five. (Good thing they’re somewhat healthy!) I’m not telling you how many I had.

Landria Voigt, C.H.H.C., is the Nutritional Consultant and Public Speaker at Dr. Taz’s Atlanta Center for Holistic & Integrative Medicine office. She is a graduate of The University of Georgia and the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She is author of the popular family and nutritional blog Stir It Up! where she shares her healthy recipes aimed at pleasing even the most finicky of palates, as well as forward-thinking ideas about nutrition. And she is author of the book Super Paleo Snacks coming out in December 2014.