Healthy Recipes by Optimal Health

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If you want to eat healthy meals, one of the things you are going to have to learn to do is replace ingredients in the recipes that you use. Each month I post a recipe with it's original ingredients, and the changes you can make to it to optimize it's healthiness. At the bottom of the recipe is a summary of what I did. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Muffins

Original Ingredients 1 1/2 cups self raising flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon mixed spice 1/2 cup firmly-packed brown sugar 1/2 cup sultana raisins 1 egg 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup mashed, drained, cooked pumpkin 1/2 cup milk	Healthy Ingredients 1 cup unbleached flour 1/2 cup soya flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 4 t baking powder (the variety without alum) 1-1/2 t cinnamon 1/4 t allspice 1/4 t mace or nutmeg 1/4 t ground cloves 1/4 t salt 1 cup dried currants 1/2 cup honey 1/3 to 1/2 cup apple, peach or pear juice 1 egg beaten with 1/4 cup milk 1 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin (canned can be used if it contains ONLY pumpkin) 1/4 cup flaxseed and olive oil (mixed or just flaxseed oil) 2 t vanilla extract
Instructions Combine dry ingredients, add currants and spices. In blender - combine juices, honey, egg mixture, pumpkin, oils and vanilla. Blend until mixed thoroughly. Pour over dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Line muffin tin with paper muffin cups and fill. Fill any leftover muffin cups with water (without the paper cup). Bake at 400 degrees for aprox. 20 minutes. Makes 12 plus muffins.
Health Savings There is considerably less sugared products in these muffins. If you find that they need more sweetener - add 1/2 cup of maple syrup with the honey. Whole-wheat and soya flours boost the nutritional value of these muffins without making them to dense to eat!! Using flaxseed and/or olive oil is much healthier.