Healthy Meal with Kid Appeal Award: Dinners for a Year & Beyond

by Janice on April 17th, 2009

Canned pumpkin is by far one of our favorite go-to baking ingredients.  Pureed pumpkin is packed with immune-boosting vitamin A, and whenever we use it in muffins, pancakes, quick breads, and bundt cakes, it adds a pleasing texture and flavor.

Pineapple Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins

Last week I was reading Dinners for a Year and Beyond, a blog devoted to helping families get back to the dinner table one recipe at a time. Blog host Amy is the mother of three children whom she calls My Oldest, My Middle One, and No Thank You Boy.  She’s also an avid cook who runs her own personal chef service.  While surfing the blog, Amy’s recipe for Pineapple Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins caught my eye.  My neighbor, Amber, had just invited Leah and Carolyn over for an Easter Egg hunt, and given the fact that I never show up for ANYTHING empty handed, I printed Amy’s recipe and got cooking.

These nutritious little Pineapple Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins were incredibly easy to make, and the dozen kids who tried them devoured every last one!  Therefore, we are pleased to announce that Dinners for a Year and Beyond is the recipient of our Healthy Meal with Kid Appeal Award.  Read on for the recipe as well as some cooking notes from our Kitchen.

Smiling kids eating muffins!

Pineapple Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins
Makes 36 Mini Muffins

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 cup applesauce
  • 1/4 cup crushed pineapple
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, applesauce, pineapple, eggs, and pumpkin. Add to dry ingredients and stir just to combine.

3. Spoon a rounded tablespoon into each muffin cup. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter if necessary.

Here are a few additional cooking notes from The Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen:

  • I didn’t have applesauce on hand so I added an extra ¼ cup crushed pineapple (and the recipe still worked).
  • I added 2 tablespoons of heart-healthy ground flaxseed to the batter because I’m a nutrition overachiever and just couldn’t resist.
  • My mini muffin tin holds 24 muffins, so I made the recipe in two batches. And given the size of my muffin tins, the recipe yielded @ 30 muffins.
  • I froze the leftover canned pumpkin in a zip-top plastic bag for later use.

Being the nice co-author that I am, I saved a couple of muffins for Liz and her boys.  Simon (Liz’s 10-year old) got to try the muffins and not a crumb was left.  If you get a chance to bake Amy’s yummy snacks, let us know what you and your family think.

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2 Comments | Filed Under Awards, Breakfast, Snacks 

2 Responses to “Healthy Meal with Kid Appeal Award: Dinners for a Year & Beyond”

  1. Janice on April 21st, 2009

    One of the neighborhood kids asked me today when I was going to make these muffins again. They were that good!

  2. Liz on February 4th, 2010

    These are great. It was hard to find pumpkin since it is out of holiday season. My 21 months old gobbled them up and asked for more.

    Hopefully the Vitamin A can keep the ear infections at bay.

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