Whole Grain Pumpkin Streusel Muffin Recipe {King Arthur Flour Giveaway}

Whole Grain Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Now that school is back in full swing and fall is in the air, whole grain muffins have made their way back into my boys' breakfasts, as has hot oatmeal. Along with a fruit smoothie, these whole grain choices provide a quick and healthy breakfast, enough to tide them over until lunchtime. 

Just a little planning ahead is required if you want to serve muffins during the week. I usually try to bake a batch of whole grain muffins or quick breads every couple of weeks, and sometimes freeze them, so the boys don't get tired of eating the same thing every morning. Their favorites are pumpkin muffins and banana bread, although I've also made mocha chocolate chip muffins and carrot coconut muffins using whole grain flours. 

Although I bake mostly gluten-free these days to make things simpler since my youngest is on a gluten-free diet, I decided to make these pumpkin muffins with white whole wheat flour since I had a whole bag sitting in the pantry -- I hate to see anything go to waste.

If you've never tried baking with whole grain flours, using white whole wheat flour is an easy place to start, especially when making heartier, darker quick breads like pumpkin and banana muffins, rather than lighter, more delicate ones like blueberry lemon muffins or lemon poppyseed muffins. White whole wheat flour is milder in flavor and lighter in color than brown whole wheat flour, and makes an easy substitute for white flour.

When I first started baking with whole grain flours, I substituted half of the white flour in recipes with whole wheat flour. As my kids grew accustomed to the heartier taste of whole grains, I was able to use 100% whole grain flours in muffins and quick breads. I still prefer white whole wheat flour over brown whole wheat flour in muffins and quick breads, it's milder tasting and doesn't detract from the fruit flavors that you're using in the recipe.

Although I'm not a big briber when it comes to getting my kids to try new foods, I do think introducing kids to whole grains is sometimes easier if you distract them a little from the wheatier flavor when you first start substituting whole grain flours for white flours.

So, to make these pumpkin muffins even more kid friendly and fun to eat, I topped these muffins with a nutty streusel topping. If your kids don't like nuts, just leave off the streusel topping. If you're feeling extra nice, throw 1/4 cup of chocolate chips in the batter - what kid doesn't like chocolate chips after all.

I've made this recipe into mini-muffins and mini-loaves, which ship more intact. I'll be sending off these mini-loaves to my son who's in college...apparently, he's just been rolling out of bed and going straight to class with no breakfast. 

These mini loaves of Pumpkin Bread ship better than muffins.

We've had lots of giveaways to celebrate Whole Grains Month already, and today, I am pleased to offer another generous giveaway, sponsored by King Arthur Flour, America's oldest flour company and producer of high quality flours, including whole wheat flours and gluten-free whole grain flour mixes.

Giveaway Details: 

King Arthur Flour is giving away a gift package to get you started baking with whole grain flours. Not only are they offering a copy of their voluminous King Arthur Whole Grain Baking cookbook, but they're also throwing in a bag of their White Whole Wheat Flour, Hi-Maize Whole Grain Cornmeal and premium Whole Wheat Flour. 

For gluten-free bakers, we have an alternative giveaway - packages of King Arthur Flour's Gluten-Free Brown Rice Flour, Ancient Grains Flour Blend, Gluten-Free Whole Grain Flour Blend, and Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour Blend (since the cookbook does not have any gluten-free recipes, it is not included in the gluten-free giveaway; however, you will receive this larger selection of flours).

How To Enter:

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment sharing a muffin or quick bread recipe (links are welcome) that you'd like to try substituting whole grain flours in, or that you've already successful tried, or how you plan on adding more whole grains to your daily diet. The deadline for entering this giveaway is 9/27/11, 12 midnight EST. One Winner will be chosen using random.org and will have 4 days to respond or a new winner will be selected (please be sure to include your email address in your comment). For U.S. residents only.

You can earn additional entries by doing any of the following. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each additional entry so I know you did it:

1. Stumble this post and follow me on @JeanettesHealth on Stumbleupon 
2. Pin this post on Pinterest (@JeanettesHealth)
3. Tweet this giveaway, being sure to include my Twitter handle (@JeanettesHealth).
4. Sign up for my Email or RSS Feeds
5. Follow @JeanettesHealth on Twitter

Disclosure: King Arthur Flours provided this giveaway as part of Whole Grains Month, to help encourage all of us to add more whole grains to our daily meals :)

Whole Grain Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Adapted from 500 Best Muffin Recipes. To make this muffin recipe healthier, I used whole wheat flour and raw coconut sugar in place of white flour and white sugar. If you're new to whole grain flours, try using half white flour, and half white whole wheat flour first. I cut the oil in half by substituting apple butter. The streusel topping is completely optional. This recipe is gluten-free adaptable; simply substitute your favorite gluten-free whole grain baking mix for the flour.

Printable Recipe

Muffin Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour or whole grain gluten-free flour mix
• 1/2 cup raw coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix (or a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg)
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup apple butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup non-dairy milk (e.g., almond, coconut, rice)

Streusel Topping Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or jaggery
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly grease mini-muffin pan.
3. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice mix.
4. In another bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, applesauce, olive oil and milk.
5. Add to flour mixture and stir just until moistened and blended (do not over mix)
6. Spoon batter into greased mini-muffin pan.
7. Mix Streusel Topping ingredients together. Sprinkle on top of muffins.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Makes 24 mini muffins.