It’s pumpkin season and Thanksgiving is just around the corner! One of my daughter’s favorite things to do together is make muffins. With a hint of chocolate and the added flavor with pumpkin and banana, sneaking in some stellar vitamins with fruit and veggies is a winner as a mom. My girl is not a huge vegetable fan right now – after all, what toddler is? If you have a vegetable-loving toddler, please share your secrets with me! There’s great satisfaction in knowing there’s some healthy benefits with this seasonal little snack.
Baking has become a pretty fun (and messy) bonding thing for us, not to mention enjoying these tasty little treats afterwards has been a staple at our tea party dates. Watching the new Beauty and the Beast movie has been a favorite as of late and we talk about what it looks like to see “the beauty within.” I was highly amused with my daughter’s following comment at, “…for who could learn to love a beast…” Leave it to a toddler to tell you, “mommy, I love your beast!” It was a needed laugh, and it was nice to know that she loves me, even at my worst!
We lit our pumpkin spice candles, devoured the muffins and let it whet our appetite for a Thanksgiving meal tomorrow. It seemed appropriate that Lumiere, the candlestick was singing “Be Our Guest” in the background. We discussed manners and talked about the saying on my cute little butter spreader – “the magic word is always ‘please.'” Beauty and the Beast is such a great teaching tool of a movie, and it’s so fun to see her incorporate her learning into every day life. One of the highlights of being a mom!
INGREDIENTS
3/4 c. pumpkin
1/3 c. + 1 tbsp 1 % milk
1 small banana, mashed
1 egg
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp sugar
1 c. regular flour, 1/2 c. whole wheat
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1/4 c. min choc chips
DIRECTIONS
- Mix the wet ingredients, including pumpkin, milk, egg, oil, vanilla, mashed banana. I like together out my electric beater/mixer to make sure the banana especially, is fully blended in.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl – flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, pumpkin spice.
- Fold in the wet ingredients with the dry.
- Mix in mini chocolate chips.
Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes