Nothing is as American as apple pie, and a true Midwestern girl that I am, I love everything apple: apple picking, orchards in the fall, caramel apples, cider mills, and of course, apple pie. This epic dessert takes the mouthwatering flavors of juicy, sweet, buttery, apple pie and fuses it with the incredible textures of buttery Egyptian kunafah that my mom makes with nuts, cinnamon, and sugar. Kunafah Apple Pie uses the shredded phyllo dough, known as kataifi, as the crust.

If you read my other kunafah post with vanilla bean creme filling, then you know about how versatile kunafah dessert is. Endless possibilities of fillings for a delicious crust, made this apple pie concoction a no-brainer for me. My mom’s classic kunafah has always been the kataifi dough rolled in butter and filled with an irresistible mixture of nuts, cinnamon, sugar and raisins. She would manipulate the shredded dough and roll it into a beautiful log shape, and it would be served sliced up, soaking in the delicious simple syrup made at home. It smells divine and the flavors of the crunchy, toasted, cinnamon and sugar nuts with this kunafah dough is perfection.

You know that amazing buttery-brown sugar scent that fills the air when you smell cinnamon nuts toasting at a carnival (Navy Pier South Dock!), or when you walk by Garrett’s Popcorn in Chicago? Well, yea, this is what that smells like. And OH MY GOSH I cannot tell you how good it tastes and smells all at once. Try to slow down when enjoying, and refrain from indulging too much so you don’t end up with a stomach ache like I did…The smells, texture, and flavor is just too good. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

This is definitely on my Thanksgiving menu this year, and I also made it to bring to a few dinner parties. It’s that easy to make, and so good to share. I hope you and yours enjoy!

These pumpkin spice muffins are just the fix you are searching for when the cozy season beckons. Sweet and creamy pumpkin puree that I make from scratch marries the warm, aromatic spices that scent the air with fall deliciousness. The cake of this muffin is perfectly moist and big on flavor. Topped with toasted pumpkin seeds or my creamy brown butter maple frosting, these will be a treat for all to indulge.

My secret to a rich, deep, pumpkin flavor is actually… butternut squash!  Butternut squash is otherwise known as butternut pumpkin in some countries- so I’m not really deviating from pumpkin muffins. The typical round orange sugar pumpkin that is so prevalent in the United States is great for adding moisture to many baked goods, but really, over the years I have found an inconsistent flavor that yearns for more sweetness and creamy texture. So, using all natural and clean ingredients to amplify the flavor, I roast some butternut squash, along with a pie pumpkin. I use 1 part pumpkin and 1 part butternut squash and the texture and flavor is PERFECTION. The butternut squash is sweet, creamy, and has some underlying butterscotch notes which complement the lacking flavor and watery texture of pumpkin. When whipped together with sugar, eggs, and oil… the squashes provide the perfect base for these muffins.

Pumpkin and butternut squash are highly nutritious. They are both high in antioxidants vitamins E and C, and as indicated by their deep orange hues, they are highest in beta-carotene (vitamin A). These vitamins are essential for healthy skin and nails, improved eye sight, preventing diseases, and even prevents aging of your skin.  Even more important to me and my little ones at home, pumpkins and butternut squash are high in fiber, which is excellent for improving digestive health such as preventing constipation and reducing the risk for digestive cancers or diabetes.

Hey, I am not claiming these muffins will save your life :), but these are no ordinary muffin. These muffins are also easily adaptable as a healthy breakfast muffin for your family. Simply cut the sugar down a bit, and mix in some flaxseeds, oats, hemp seeds, nuts, cranberries, dark chocolate chunks, or raisins to the recipe (see recipe notes below). You can truly make these how you like! I LOVE pumpkin and chocolate.

For that warm sultry spice combination, I mix a generous amount of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. The ginger and cloves give a very nice balance to the sweetness of the cinnamon and squash. Using high quality and the correct type of ingredients is important for great flavor and results. I use Vietnamese cinnamon with 4.5% oil because it has a stronger flavor excellent for baking, which you can both smell and taste as you bite into the muffin. This is the best cinnamon to use in baking. It is both sweet and spicy and adds such warmth and depth, to the flavors of this pumpkin muffin. For the sugar, definitely use dark brown sugar. It has deeper notes of maple syrup goodness. Dark brown sugar also holds more moisture and is more acidic which means it will react with the baking soda to make a nice fluffy muffin. 

These muffins can also be made into an ultra decadent treat. I recently made these muffins, frosted with brown butter icing for my daughter’s birthday treat in class and it was a big hit! 

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Here is a quick and easy recipe for a delicious pumpkin muffin from scratch. A moist pumpkin muffin full of flavor and warm fall spices, this treat can easily be adapted from a sweet cupcake treat with a maple brown butter icing option into a healthier breakfast muffin full of oats and other toppings.

5 from 2 votes

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Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 18 cupcakes

Ingredients

  

• 2 1/2 c flour cake flour HIGHLY recommended
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tsp cinnamon
• 1.5 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp all spice
• 2 c mashed pumpkin (baked then scooped out)
• 1 c mashed butternut squash (baked then scooped out)
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 c olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 c dark chocolate chips or cranberries or nuts OPTIONAL

For the icing

• 8 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 c dark brown sugar
• 2-3 c powdered sugar
• 6 tbsp softened butter or creamcheese
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees (F). Slice open the pumpkin and butternut squash, remove seeds, and place facedown on a pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 20-30 minutes until you can easily pierce the skin with a fork. Remove and allow to cool or store in the refrigerator until ready to bake (up to 3 days). Reduce temperature to 350 F.
• In a medium sized bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and all the spices.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer add the mashed pumpkin and squash and sugars. Mix until smooth and creamy (about 3 minutes).
• Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla powder. Mix well (about 1 minute).
• Add the oil and mix until smooth (about 1 minute)
• Slowly fold in the flour mixture, careful not over mix.
• Add in any optional mix-ins you choose such as nuts, chocolate, oats, at this step.
• With a scoop, fill the cavities of a cupcake pan or muffin pan.
• Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. The tops should puff up and be firm in the center.

For the icing

• Melt 1 stick of butter in a small pot over medium heat. Move the butter around until it begins to brown and smell toasty.
• Stir in the brown sugar. Simmer for about 3 minutes on low-medium heat, without scorching. Set aside and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
• In a standing mixer, sift together 2 cups of powdered sugar with the whisk attachment. On medium speed, slowly add in the 6 tbsp pf soft butter or cream cheese and maple syrup.
• Slowly pour in the butter and brown sugar mixture. Slowly add in some of the last cup of powdered until you have achieved the thickness of icing desired. Keep in mind, the frosting/icing will further harden once the melted butter cools to room temperature.

Notes

Using King Arthur cake flour makes these into an ultra fluffy and moist cake with a fine crumb! I find this ingredient makes  quite a difference in results. 

Adapt these muffins into a healthy breakfast muffin by cutting down the white sugar or eliminating. You may even cut out the brown sugar and use equal amounts of honey or maple syrup instead, and add in chunks of dates.

Replace 1/4 of the flour with a mixture of rolled oats and ground flaxseed.

Mix in cranberries, chopped dates, nuts, hemp seeds, or raisins for more flavor combinations. 

Keyword cupcake, muffins, pumpkin

This is one rich and chocolatey shake, and I am happy to say my kids absolutely love it! This is an all powerful, nutrient dense, plant based protein shake that is nothing but delicious. It tastes like dessert and has zero chalky protein powders added. I make this with pure raw foods that anybody can find in their local grocery store.

The rich, dark chocolate flavor of this smoothie is due to none other than pure, cacao powder. I found a nice organic powder from Whole Foods, which is of great quality. Pure cacao powder is great for many reasons, namely being a rich antioxidant source, as well as iron, magnesium, fiber, and even protein. Who knew chocolate could be so beneficial! Lately, I have been limiting my intake of dessert and refined sugar, so this makes for a great substitute to fulfill my chocolate cravings. 

You can use your favorite milk, but I stick with the plant based source of almond milk. Throw in a couple of frozen bananas for the rich creamy texture, as well as the digestive and heart health benefits.

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The bananas along with three juicy Medjool dates make the bitter flavors of the cacao come out in the rich chocolatey flavor I am going for. If you want less sweet, use only one banana. Sometimes I make this with one banana only and add strawberries, to cut down on the calories.

Goji berries are a super food that I have been tossing into smoothies, cereal, and snack mixes alike. The kids love these too, and so will parents due to their super health benefits. Goji berries have long been used in Chinese medicine, and have the benefits of being high in antioxidants, high in fiber, vitamin A, and an excellent protein source. Some studies even show they can help destroy cancer cells.

Berry Chocolatey Peanut Butter Shake

2018-01-02 08:47:10

A rich chocolatey shake made with clean, raw, energy boosting ingredients!

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Ingredients

1. 1.5 cup almond milk
2. 1-2 frozen bananas
3. 3 dates (Medjool or similar texture)
4. 1/2 c goji berries
5. 1/4 c cacao powder
6. 1/2 c fresh ground peanut butter

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a blender, layering with liquid and soft ingredients first and frozen bananas on the very top.
2. Blend for 1-2 minutes and enjoy!

Notes

1. Replace one banana with frozen strawberries for a lighter smoothie, with less sugar content. The banana makes this very creamy and rich!

By Noha ElSharkawy

Sugar & Garlic https://sugarandgarlic.com/