Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Protein Muffins

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Are you looking for a healthy, nutritious, and delicious way to start your day?

Then, you will love these healthy Pumpkin Protein Muffins, which are the perfect breakfast for the fall season.

The Healthy Pumpkin Muffins are:

• Gluten-free and vegan
• Fluffy and protein-packed
• Sweet, but not too much, making them ideal for breakfast or a healthy snack!

Let’s jump into the ingredients list for the Pumpkin Muffins. 

Ingredients for the Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Protein Muffins:

• Pumpkin puree: I baked one small whole pumpkin and used the flesh from it, but you can also use canned.
• Agave syrup: The benefit of agave is that it is much sweeter than sugar, which means you don’t need to use as much for the same amount of sweetness. My favorite sweetener is date syrup, but this time I had just agave on hand. 
• Coconut oil: Coconut oil is a great vegan replacement for butter in baking. It may change the flavor if it is unrefined. If you don’t want to feel any coconut flavor, use refined. 
• Soy yogurt: Its creaminess helps keep baked goods moist, and its acidity helps activate baking soda, making baked goods fluffy and light. 
• Protein protein: To make the muffins protein-rich, we will use protein powder. One of my favorite ones is Vitally Vegan Protein Powder. They have various great flavors; I used their Forest Fruits flavor (you can get £10 0FF with the code ZEROWASTE).
• Buckwheat flour: Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free flour. It has high levels of fiber, and it is an excellent source of protein. It absorbs liquid quickly and has binding properties, making it great for baked goods. You can make your flour by grinding buckwheat seeds or get already made flour. 
• Soy milk: Or any other plant milk, to reach the perfect muffin consistency. I like to use soy because it contains more protein.
• Additionals: To add a bit of crunch and melting chocolate goodness, you can add a bit of walnut and chocolate. It won’t make these muffins too chocolatey or high in calories because we’ll add just a bit of the additional ingredients. 

Why should you make and not buy muffins?

Store-bought muffins can be a great way to indulge in a yummy treat. However, they aren’t the healthiest, and one single muffin (depending on size & ingredients) can range from 300 – 600 calories, over 20g of fat, 50g of carbs, and 40g of sugar.

A single homemade Pumpkin Protein Muffin has 147 calories, 18g carbs (2g sugar), 5g fat, and 7g of protein!

Additionally, the Pumpkin Protein Muffins are freezer friendly (up to 1 month), so you can bake a bigger batch and freeze a few to always have a healthy, delicious treat on hand. 

How to make the Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Protein Muffins: 

Materials:

• A bowl (no blender needed!)
• A muffin tin – I used a regular metal one, with paper muffin liners (I need to get reusable ones like these ones) and I also used this reusable silicone one with “donut” shape. 

Ingredients:

• 250g pumpkin puree 
• 150g agave 
• 35ml melted coconut oil 
• 200ml soy yogurt 
• 50ml soy milk 
• 100g Vitally Vegan Protein Powder
• 100g buckwheat flour 
• A pinch of salt, turmeric, cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda 
• 30g walnuts 
• 30g chocolate

Instructions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C degrees (356°F) and line a muffin tin with reusable silicone liners or paper ones.

2. Mix all the wet ingredients (pumpkin puree, agave, coconut oil, soy yogurt) in a bowl.

3. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients (Vitally vegan protein powder, buckwheat flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, a pinch of salt, turmeric, cinnamon).

4. Then combine the dry ingredients with the wet ones. 

5. Once everything is well combined, add walnuts and chocolate chips. You can go crazy here and sprinkle some berries, or dried fruits on top, too. 

6. Add the mixture to a muffin tin (I ended up with 14 muffins) and bake for 30 min at 180 degrees. 

7. Let the muffins cool for at least 15-20 minutes before eating.

How to store the muffins:

Store them in an airtight container, so they stay moist on the counter for 2-3 days. For longer storage, keep them in the fridge in airtight containers, or freeze for a month in reusable silicone baggies. 

To defrost, take them out of the freezer, leave them on the counter overnight, or throw them in a warm oven for about 5 minutes.