Culinary Tip of the Week: Pumpkin Seeds

Maple Pumpkin Muffins

2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease and flour muffin tins or line with paper muffin cups.

Combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Combine remaining ingredients (except for pepitas) in a separate mixing bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing just until the dry ingredients are moist. Do not overmix the batter.

Fill muffin cups two-thirds with the batter. Sprinkle the top of the batter with a teaspoon or so of pepitas. Bake muffins for approximately 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the muffin removes clean.

Cool muffins on racks. Remove from tins. Serve with butter or cranberry jam.