I said I would bake this weekend, and I did!  But I didn’t make the hearty rolls I had planned; I decided to bake some treats for the freezer instead.  I’ll get back to those rolls later, I promise.

I was surfing the Internet, and spotted this recipe for Ginger Pecan Pumpkin Muffins.  I had crystallized ginger leftover from the Dark Chocolate Brownies with Crystallized Ginger and Sea Salt that I made this summer.  I had leftover pecans from my Mom’s pantry clean out.  And way up top in my cabinet I had a stash of canned pumpkin.  It was destiny, right?  I did change a few things from the original recipe by using some whole wheat flour, replacing a portion of the sugar with honey, and changing the spices a bit.

The muffins were quite good, and I liked the crunch of the pecans.  You can only taste the ginger every few bites so if you want more of a kick, I would increase the amount of crystallized ginger to 1/3-1/2 cup, as in the original recipe.  Although I know pumpkin is often enjoyed in the fall, these muffins are pretty good for January too.

Pumpkin Ginger Pecan Muffins

1 c. white flour
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1 t pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. pumpkin puree
1/4 c. canola oil
1/4 c. nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 c. honey
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. crystallized ginger pieces

In a large bowl, mix flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.  In another bowl, mix eggs, pumpkin, oil, yogurt, honey, and vanilla.  Add wet ingredients to dry, and mix just until blended.  Fold in pecans and ginger.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin tins coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350F for 22-28 minutes.

-Adapted from Etsy

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