Coconut Flour Pumpkin Muffins and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Balls

Today I made two pumpkin-related treats. The first are coconut flour pumpkin muffins - my third batch of the season. They are so quick and easy to make and taste excellent.

Link and recipe for the muffins:

* 1/2 cup coconut flour 

* 4 eggs

* 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or ghee (I have been using ghee)

* 6 Tbsp pumpkin puree

* 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup or honey (I have been using maple syrup)

* 1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

* 1 tsp vanilla extract

* 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

* 1/2 tsp baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Stir together the coconut flour and eggs until a smooth paste forms. Stir in the oil/lard, then the pumpkin puree and maple syrup. Then mix in the spices, cider vinegar and baking soda.

3. Divide in muffin pan (makes 10). Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden and the top springs back lightly when pressed.

These are the pumpkin chocolate chip energy balls. I haven't tried them yet, but the batter tasted good (which was all over my hands when I was finished rolling these).

Ingredients:

* 3 cups dry, uncooked oatmeal (I used Trader Joe's GF oats)

* 1 cup pumpkin puree

* 1 cup peanut or almond butter

* 2/3 cut pure maple syrup or raw honey

* 1/2 tsp cinnamon

* 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

* 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

* 4-6 Tbsp ground flax seeds

* 1 cup small chopped walnuts, chopped almonds, chopped peanuts, coconut flakes; any combination of mix-ins that equals 1 cup total

*1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl until very thoroughly mixed.

Roll into balls of about 1" in diameter. Place on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper and freeze one hour. 

Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to one week. (I put mine into mason jars and put one mason jar in the refrigerator and the rest in the freezer so they would last longer than a week.)

Makes about 30-36 balls.

Now it's time to sit down and eat dinner...spaghetti squash with ground turkey and then later on will watch the end of the World Series game with a pumpkin muffin and Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Rooibos tea. I really enjoy fall food, now it just needs to stay below 100 degrees in Phoenix :)