Monday 5 May 2014

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.



 Cooking with Herbs

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Diana-Rambles Back to the Basics Awesome Things Tuesday

33 comments:

  1. This looks amazing!! Found your recipe at Tuesday's with a Twist. I am one of the hostesses of Tasty Tuesdays and would love you to stop by and link up this recipe if you have not yet already. Here is the link http://bit.ly/1g5mVQa
    Lori

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  2. Looks yummy! I agree with the adding of chocolately goodness.
    Hope the boys have a fun trip!

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  3. These sound fantastic! Thanks for sharing your recipe ~ I plan to try these soon!

    Marie-Claire

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  4. These look fantastic and something that would sit well with my stomach that isn't tolerating much at the moment. Do you deliver? ;)

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  5. I love this recipe. Pinned!

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  6. I can't believe I have the ingredients! I'm trying those! Hope your amateur photogs brought back great shots!

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  7. I love chocolate and pumpkin! These look delicious!

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  8. Oh my. Those look absolutely delicious!! Going to pin. :)

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  9. Pretty much adding some goodness to a classic. Clever.

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  10. There's a lot of yummy stuff in this muffin. Thanks for sharing your recipe on Merry Mondays.

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  11. Love all the healthy hidden ingredients. Yum!

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  12. These muffins look so healthy and delicious! What a great way to eat healthy and still have something you can enjoy as well! Thanks for sharing!

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  13. Pumpkin and chocolate is one of those things that didn't sound like a great combo at first, but when I tried it I was in love!

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  14. Yummy - I am going to have to try these! I'll let you know if mine turn out as good as yours do - I tend to botch recipes.

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  15. I just realized that I need to do dinner hehe. Those Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins looks amazing! hungry now =) #pocolo

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  16. Oh these look wonderful! I love that you combined some of my favorite flavors, pumpkin and chocolate! Thank you for sharing at Tasty Tuesdays.

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  17. These sound like a perfect combo of so many good things - I need to add them to my muffin rotation :) Pinned!

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  18. These cookies look incredible! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again next week!

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  19. Happy Mother's Day, Jenn! Have a wonderful day with your family.

    Dawn

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  20. What a fun trip and what a good mom you are, at least your kids decide to bring you the laundry and clean their room, that's more than I get LOL Thanks for visiting Cook it! Craft it! Share it! We hope to see you back next week!

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  21. The muffins looks very good and delish. Hope your kids will have a good trip. Thanks for sharing with 4 seasons blog hop. Cheers and have a nice day.

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  22. These cookies look incredible! I love pumpkin and chocolate together. And the chia and flax are fantastic additions! I hope you all have a great trip! (Stopping by from Sweet and Savory Sundays)

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  23. Pumpkin and chocolate are a great combination. I've never added oatmeal to the equation. That sounds good too!
    Thank you for coming by and linking with See Ya in the Gumbo this week, Jenn.

    Laundry never ends, does it?

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  24. I love this recipe! YUM!
    YOU have been featured this morning @ Back to the Basics for Tuesdays with a Twist!!! Thank you for sharing with us!

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  25. Great recipe as ever Jen - they look gorgeous. I can't believe your man folk came over here! Hope they had a good time. Thank you for linking to PoCoLo :) x

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  26. I just love this recipe Jenn, it is wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with Full Plate Thursday and hope you have a great week!
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  27. These look delicious@ Thanks so much for sharing with the Let's Get Real party.

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  28. Congratulations! This post is featured over at Diana Rambles today and has been pinned in the Featured at Diana Rambles board at Pinterest, Tweeted, and Recommended on G+. Please grab a featured button off my sidebar or via the link under the features. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe!

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  29. These muffins look so yummy and healthy! pinned to try. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  30. These muffins sound great, healthy and with chocolate chips, yum! Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up again. Have a great day!!

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  31. I've made a very similar recipe, which I love, but mine don't have nearly as much chocolate in them. These look that much better! :) You can never have too much chocolate! I also love that they're healthy. Pinned!

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