Healthy Pumpkin Banana muffins

2 egg whites, room temp (about 1/4 cup)
1 cup Sucanat (can sub sugar of your choice if desired)

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups 100% Whole Wheat Flour (Hodgson Mill Old Fashioned Graham flour)
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons White 100% Whole Wheat Flour (King Arthur Unbleached White Whole Wheat Flour)
2 tsp Baking Soda
4 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tblsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg (ok to sub with jarred ground)
2 1/2 Tblsp ground milled flaxseed (Hodgson Mill)
2 1/2 Tblsp traditional Wheat Germ (Kretschmer's original)

Wet ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 tsp pure vanillla extract
3/4 tsp pure almond extract (optional)
1/4 tsp pure lemon extract (optional)
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (Not pumpkin pie filling)
1 ripe medium banana, mashed


1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

You could also add in nuts and/or raisins

First step must be done in advance:

Place egg whites in a medium sized bowl and set aside to come to room temperature, about 2 hours or so

Preheat oven to 400. Set muffin papers into muffin pan (standard muffin size).

Measure out all your dry ingredients into a large bow, stir to combine, and set aside.

Mix all wet ingredients well and set aside.

Once egg whites are room temperature, add Sucanat and blend with handmixer until the mixture is light in color and has increased in volume. Fold wet ingredients into the egg/sugar mixture until nicely combined. Add to the dry ingredients and gently stir until everything is well combined, then add in your chocolate chips (and/or nuts, raisins). Once batter is well mixed, divide up into the muffin cups, about 3/4 full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Each baked muffin weighs approx. 2 oz., of which I was able to get 21 count.

Number of Servings: 21

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user MS_GOLIGHTLY.