Sounds just a little too healthy, right?  I assure you that these muffins taste exactly like regular old pumpkin muffins — avocado replaces the butter or oil for the fat but does not lend any odd flavors at all.

A few years ago my in-laws took a trip to Savannah.  They stayed at a charming bed and breakfast called The Foley House Inn.  My father-in-law regularly receives a monthly newsletter from The Foley House Inn complete with Savannah happenings and special room rates. But the coolest part of this newsletter and the part that probably gets a lot of people to open it, is that they include a special Foley House Inn recipe (and the recipe is the subject of the email — great marketing!).  My father-in-law has made a habit of forwarding these newsletters to me so I can check out the recipes, all of which are quaint Southern style dishes that just seem to belong in a Georgian Bed and Breakfast.  Some of the most recent recipes were Salmon Croquettes, Bacon and Cheese Quiche, and Sweet Potato Pie.  Truly every recipe looks delicious!

I checked my email one Monday morning in October and was excited to find this recipe in my inbox. It was a day when the kids didn’t have school and we were having a lazy morning.  I had gone to the grocery the night before and happened to have everything I needed. I made these muffins for our late morning breakfast.  My pickiest eater loved them the most.  Aside from a few tiny flecks of green which she didn’t even notice (because I distracted her by putting a big pat of butter on each half of her warm muffin!), she had no idea there was avacado in these muffins.  Packed full of healthy protein, we will definitely be making these again.

Avocado Pumpkin Muffins (Makes 12)

Ingredients:

2 cups white whole-wheat flour (I was out of whole-wheat so I used unbleached)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and mashed

1 banana, mashed

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line or spray a 12-muffin tin.  In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  Set aside.  In a stand mixer, mix together wet ingredients – avocado, banana, pumpkin, eggs, sugar, and vanilla.  Slowly incorporate dry ingredients and mix on low until smooth. Fill muffin tins evenly and sprinkle with nuts.  Bake 15-18 minutes.

Recipe from The Foley House Inn