Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins

We spent the better part of the weekend preparing hubby and number one son for their trip across the pond this week.  There was last minute shopping and a mountain of laundry to work through.  Seriously, I think these kids conspire against me.  No sooner can I see the laundry room floor, and someone decides to 'clean' their room... ie. move the heap of clothes from their bedroom floor to the laundry room floor.

Fast forward to Sunday night...my big boys are on their flight and I realize that baking needs to happen if anyone wants snacks in their lunch the next day.  I was so focused on the ones that were leaving that I'd given little thought to the upcoming week for those of us still at  home.

I had some leftover pumpkin in the fridge from the homemade dog treats I'd made earlier in the week, and the idea of oatmeal muffins with pumpkin began to take shape.  As with any baking around here that starts out with the healthiest of intentions, chocolate becomes part of the equation to make it more agreeable to fussy palates.  So, Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins with Flax and Chia were created.  

Photos taken with my phone, late at night, as my camera has gone overseas with my boys.  I hope it comes back with hundreds of new photos.  And in one piece.  

The flax seeds are milled, and the oatmeal has been processed into a coarse flour in the food processor, so that the muffins have a finer texture than some of the multigrain versions I've tried.  The chia seeds soak in a milk bath to plump them up.

Rich, dark cocoa and chocolate chips hide all the healthy things going on in here.

Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins with Flax and Chia.  Deliciousness.

Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins with Flax and Chia

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tbsp chia seeks, soaked in 3 tbsp milk for 10 minutes

1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, processed in food processor for 30 seconds

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup milled flax seeds

1 cup chocolate chips, I used a mixture of white and milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Prepare muffin tin.  I use cupcake liners for easier clean-up, but you can also grease and flour the muffin tin.  Sift together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk in processed oats and flax seeds until well combined.  

Cream together vegetable oil, pumpkin, eggs, soaked chia seeds, and brown sugar in a separate bowl.  Add milk and vanilla, whisk together until well combined.  Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Let batter sit for 10 minutes so that the oats and flax can absorb some moisture from the batter.  The batter will be thick.

Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling almost to the top.  I got 18 muffins out this recipe.  If you aren't able to fill the entire muffin tin when you make the second batch, fill the empty muffin cups halfway with water before you put it in the oven.  Bake 15 - 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.  Let muffins cool in tin on cooling rack for 10 minutes before removing from muffin tin.  Allow to cool completely before devouring.

 

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