I’m on the third phase of the Dukan Diet, which means I can have a few more foods than on the previous phase.  I’m really enjoying this phase much better, and I am still losing the weight.  Not as fast as in the first two phases, but that is all right with me.

I was looking through a recipe book to find a whole wheat pizza dough recipe (because tomorrow I am having a celebration meal of home made pizza – I’m excited) and I found a good muffin recipe.  They taste good, but one does have to remember they are a very healthy recipe.  If you are looking for a muffin filled with sugar this is not the right recipe for you!

Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins

Can you see how healthy they look.  They are from “The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno.  I picked it up last Spring when visiting a friend in Muskoka.  I browsed through the book and it seemed to have a lot of healthy recipes in it, so I was sold.  I think
this is the first recipe I’ve made from the book … it’s a start.  I know you want to run right into your kitchen and make these yummy healthy muffins, so I will share the recipe with you and my recommendations after making them myself.  I feel like I can substitute one of these muffins for a piece of bread that I am allowed in this phase.

Ingredients:
1 c old-fashioned oatmeal, not instant
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 canned pumpkin
2 large egg whites + one yolk, lightly beaten
2 tbsp + 1 tsp canola oil
1/2 cup of milk or milk alternative or 1/2 c apple juice
1 tbsp double-acting baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c amaranth or quinoa flour or flour of your choice
1/4 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c maple sugar flakes
1/2 c dried cranberries or raisins (optional)

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Line muffin pan with paper or silicon liners or coat with cooking spray.  (Let’s face it, paper is the easiest way to go for clean up after!)
2. Combine oatmeal, pumpkin, applesauce, juice or milk, eggs and oil.  Mix until all ingredients are blended.
3. Measure and mix all dry ingredients.  Make a well in the centre and pour wet ingredients into dry.  Add dried fruit if using.  mix until dry ingredients are just moistened.  Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake 15 – 20 min or until lightly browned on top.

Suggestions:
The book suggests to have some light cream cheese with them.  They seem to be like they would be a good breakfast treat.

My Recommendations:
The only thing I did differently to the recipe is that I forgot the extra 1 tsp of oil.  I also used fresh-frozen cooked pumpkin instead of canned.  I used skim milk.  I used normal baking powder.  I used flax flour as “your choice”.  I didn’t have maple sugar flakes but I had maple sugar pearls, so I used some of those but I didn’t use a full 1/4 cup, so my muffins have very very little sugar.  You could leave out this step or if you don’t have the flakes you could probably use real maple syrup or honey instead.  I will try one of those options next time.  I also did not add any raisons or cranberries.  Mine took about 25 min to cook.

Dukan Diet Consolidation Phase Update:
I don’t have much new to report but that I am 9 lbs away from my goal weight.  How exciting is that?  I went to the grocery store today to buy 1 thing and came out with one thing not even thinking about buying chips or any of that junk (even thought it still tastes good).  When this phase is over all that is left is the last phase that is there for the rest of my life – 1 protein day a week.  I’ll be glad when I get to that phase.  It’s not too far off now.  It definitely has been an interesting process for me.

[This is part of the Dukan Diet series.  Check out the rest of the posts by clicking HERE.]