Clean Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese

Ok, well if any of you know me, you probably clued in to the fact that seeing "Maple" in the title drew me to this recipe! I love MAPLE anything!!!!!  This recipe actually comes from Autumn Calbrese's Fixate Cookbook. If you don't know who Autumn is, she is the creator of the 21 Day Fix and it is her program that helped me lose 30lbs!!!!  Autumn is one of Team Beachbody's top Celebrity Trainers and when I started her program, I had no idea I would one day have not only one, but TWO opportunities to meet her and even obtain a cookbook with her autograph!  *Out of this world! Now, I know you aren't here to read about all of that, so I will get on with the recipe. :) 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of cream cheese

1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cups of almond flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda (gluten-free)

1 dash Himalayan salt (or sea salt)

2 Tbsp. raw pumpkin seeds

Steps:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Prepare nine muffin cups with parchment muffin tin liners or use coat muffin cups with non-stick spray. Pam has a new coconut spray! 

3.  Combine cream cheese and maple syrup in a small bowl; beat with mixers so it becomes smooth.

4.  Combine egg and pumpkin in a medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.

5.  Combine almond flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; mix well. 

6.  Add almond meal mixture to egg mixture; mix until just blended.

7.  Spoon batter into each prepared muffin cup, filling a little less than 1/2 full.

8.  Spoon about 1 heaping tsp. cream cheese mixture into the centre of each muffin. 

9.  Then, evenly fill muffin cups 3/4 full with remaining batter.

10. Sprinkle muffins evenly with pumpkin seeds.

11.  Bake 16-18 minutes, or until golden brown and toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

12.  Transfer muffins to rack to cool!  And finally, enjoy!!!

If you are following the 21 Day Fix program, one muffin equates to 1 Purple and 1 Orange.

If you are interested in obtaining a cookbook or joining one of my upcoming challenge groups, feel free to send me an email (sasijewelry@gmail.com), find me on Facebook, or check out my Team Beachbody website!