Healthy Pumpkin Walnut Muffins...made w/White Kidney Beans

i have to tell you...these are my new favorite breakfast muffins!

i'm always trying to find recipes that are...hmmm....let's say "figure friendly?" well, this one qualifies. it's made with white kidney beans instead of flour. of course i thought it wasn't possible. i came across a recipe for black bean chocolate brownies and tried those first. it worked, but not really a brownie in my book. i might have to experiment a bit more with the black beans. i'll put my lab coat on...i'm thinking some kind of Mexican/Spanish type of mole-ish side dish. i'll add a little cayenne and serve with some avocado ice cream?...hmmm....i think that could be a future post....

back to these yummy muffins...i don't know why, but i seem to think white flour is the enemy. don't get me wrong, i cook with it often. i usually end up having one bite or a small slice, but the rest go to the dessert lovers in the house or shared with eager friends. i recently, or should i say FINALLY, found some King Arthur's white whole wheat flour. haven't used it yet so no comments there. i'll try it this week. when i saw these muffins using white beans instead of flour i had to try them...again, in disbelief that it would actually work let alone taste good. i just didn't believe they could be cakey and lite. i knew they sounded healthy, but was this going to far? at what point do you sacrifice flavor for the health factor?....i've been known to take it a bit too far.

as you can see...these worked. i went by the original recipe for the first batch. well, i did add 1 scoop of protein powder and realized i shouldn't have. they were just a bit dry. MY BAD ! so for the second batch i thought i would add a little moisture, a little more flavor and a few more healthy ingredients. they came out way better than the first batch. this is a recipe i will make again and again. i've already stocked up on the canned beans.



PUMPKIN WALNUT WHITE BEAN MUFFINS
adapted from Island Cook at iFood.tv


makes 12 reg. size muffins
preheat oven to 350 degrees
Ingredients
15.5 oz can of White Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed well
2 Eggs (i might have used Egg Beaters)
1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 T. flax
1/8 cup pysillium husk
1/4 cup oats
1 cup Splenda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
2/3 cup Fat Free Dry Milk
1 Tbs Vanilla(a little extra never hurts)
3 Tbs veg oil
1/2 Cup Walnuts plus more for the tops

In a food processor, puree the beans well. Add the eggs and cottage cheese and blend scraping sides and blending until it is smooth. Add the pumpkin and pulse in. Combine with all the other Ingredients in a mixing bowl or pulse in your processor if it is large enough, but don't over mix though. Spray muffin tin and fill...I'll bet mine were about 3/4 full. ...I used silicon baking cups because the first batch stuck to the paper liners. Sprinkle a few walnuts on top. Bake for 20 minutes and check with a toothpick.

These keep quite well. i kept them wrapped in the fridge and enjoyed them through the week. Just pop in the microwave to take the chill off.