Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffies

Let's get real. There are two great things in this world and they are as follows:

1. Anything and everything pumpkin flavored
2. The top part of the muffin that everyone breaks off and eats first (or as Panera likes to call it, the "muffie")

What do you get when you combine these two treasures? My amazing pumpkin chocolate chip muffies!!! I finally finished perfecting the recipe today and it is ready to share with the world.

These are sure to be a treat for your family over the Thanksgiving holiday coming up so give them a try! I swear people won't even know they're healthy ;)

Recipe: 

1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
3/4 cup raw cane sugar
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
dark chocolate chips (how ever many you want)

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a bowl, mix together the pumpkin, sugar, coconut oil, and egg
3. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt
4. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well
5. Add in as many chocolate chips as your heart desires
*the batter may seem a bit liquid-y but that is ok!! It shouldn't be as thick as cookie dough
6. Using a spoon, dollop batter onto a greased baking sheet (size is up to you)
7. Bake in the oven for approximately 10-12 minutes
8. Remove and let cool (if you can resist) for 10 minutes before enjoying
9. Share with friends and family!! Tis the season...right?

so moist and delicious

Fun fact, they can also be baked to be regular muffins. Just put the batter in a greased muffin tin instead of on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes 

True confessions, I've already had 5 of these tonight...

Another fun fact...

If you want to make them vegan, simply leave out the chocolate chips (or use a vegan brand) and substitute the egg for one of the following:

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce 

or

1 tbsp ground Flax seeds +3 tbsp Water

or 

1/4 cup pureed banana

I haven't experimented with the above options but if anyone tries them out, let me know! 

If you are gluten free, then all you need to do is exchange the whole wheat flour for a gluten free flour! Again, I have yet to try this out and I'm sure some things might need to be changed around to adjust for the texture, but give it a try and let me know :)

Enjoy guys!! 

Question: What is your favorite holiday dessert recipe? Are you a cookie, cake, or pie person? 

*~*~Survey~*~*

Look how quickly I got back! I can't tell you how happy it makes me to be able to consistently blog again :D

Today I'm going to follow in the steps of some of my favorite bloggers and do a survey post! Here we go...

Making: pumpkin anything! I've made pumpkin cookies, my roommate made pumpkin bread, and I may try and make these maple spice glazed pumpkin muffins later today--recipe here! Seriously, how amazing do those look.

Photo courtesy of Taste Love Nourish

Cooking: oh whoops, maybe I should have saved that first answer for here...oh well. I have been cooking a lot of my favorite tofu+veggie sautés and sweet potatoes. I won't bore you with yet another picture of this meal.
Drinking: Coffee on coffee. I usually have one cup of home brewed coffee in the morning and if I'm extra tired, I'll have another cup later in the day too. Maybe a soy dirty chai from Starbucks if I'm feeling crazy.
Reading: Right now I'm in the middle of a book called The Dinner by Herman Koch. I'm not really sure how I feel about it yet. It's an intriguing story and I want to keep reading to find out what happens, but for now, it's not my favorite book I've ever read. I'll do a more detailed review once I finish it.

One thing is for sure, The Dinner in no way compares to the book I finished at the beginning of the month. The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan is such a magical read. I guarantee any woman, at any age will love this novel. The story follows several generations of women beginning in early 1900's China and what they go through after one grave decision changes the course of their lives forever. It is truly an inspiring novel that kept me hooked until the very end. Thanks Mom for the recommendation!! 

Read it!!!

Wanting: It to stay fall forever. It's the one season that's perfect here in Baltimore. The temperatures stay cool (but not cold), the sun is out, the leaves are falling. Perfect weather for being outside.

Looking: At my law school applications...all the time.
Playing: In the leaves! Ok, I haven't really done this yet but every time I walk past a huge puffy pile of leaves, I wish I could stop and jump in.
Wasting: Too much time watching too much Netflix. They just put a bunch of HGTV and Food Network shows up on Netflix so that's my current obsession. I also just started watching New Girl! So many laugh out loud moments already and I'm 5 episodes in.

 

Sewing: My Halloween costume? jkjk no, I don't sew.
Wishing: I had time to get more sleep! Tonight is day-light savings!! Woo +1 hour of sleep!!!
Enjoying: Spending lots of time with my amazing friends

Waiting: For Thanksgiving break. We have a week off this year so I am really looking forward to going home and spending time with my family relaxing and eating amazing food :) My mom and I are already planning some new vegetarian friendly recipes to try this year
Liking: That Starbucks has switched to their red holiday cups!
Wondering: Where the year has gone?! It's already November? Seriously, 2014 has flown by and I don't know how I feel about it. 
Loving: These shoes!! Where are they from???? Me want.

Hoping: To finish all of my law school apps within the next 2.5 weeks!
Marveling: At my body and how it wasn't sore after the half marathon. I have no idea why that happened but I definitely won't complain
Needing: More than 24 hours in a day
Smelling: like sweat? Not cute, but sadly true most of the time... #gymproblems
Wearing: Tons of sweaters and scarves. It is most definitely getting colder here by the day.
Knowing: That my body is a lot stronger and can handle a lot more than I sometimes think it can
Thinking: About trying this workout later today... from Peanut butter runner

Feeling: in love with the following songs...give a listen!!

Scarecrow by Alex and Sierra

Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran

It Was Always You-Maroon 5 

Angel-Florida Georgia Line

Bookmarking: Recipes I want to try. Here are a few....courtesy of Pinterest

Orange glazed brussel sprouts and butternut squash. Click here for the recipe!

Sweet potato quinoa soup from The Healthy Apple 

Chocolate peanut butter avocado pudding. You know you want to try it.

Opening: Up a new box of my favorite crackers from TJ's

Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps <3 

Giggling: Over Franklin's weird sleeping habits. He is the cutest and the weirdest

Take some time to think about how you might answer some or all of these. It's really interesting to see how different people interpret each trigger word. Feel free to comment with your answers if you feel comfortable!

See you guys later this week. And happy November!!