In the northern hemisphere, the weather has begun cooling as we move into Fall.  Places further to the north and at higher elevations are starting to see the first signs of fall with the trees beginning to change colors.  Around here, all it takes is a cold snap at night and our trees begin the transition.  I had one turn orange in spring one year when a false spring had lured it out, then a cold snap came in and the tree went into fall mode.  It never got green through the whole summer, but the leaves stayed on until late fall.

This is truly the beginning of fall and for me that means cranberries and pumpkins and other winter squash.  So I’m offering up my first fall recipe for this time of year– a delicious and wonderful low carb pumpkin muffin enhanced with chopped cranberries and pecans.  I also have a secret ingredient to help keep them moist.  So let’s just keep it between us, ok?

Cranberry Pumpkin Nut Muffins

I call these my deluxe muffins with everything good in them and less than 3.5 carbs!  Yes, it looks like a lot of ingredients, but it mixes together quickly and with little fuss.

1/2 cup Low Carb Baking Mix
2 tablespoons Almond Flour
1/4 cup Vanilla Whey Protein Powder(optional)
1 tablespoon Sugar-Free Pudding mix (Vanilla, Butterscotch or Cheesecake)
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 cup Sugar Substitute
2 tablespoons Butter or Coconut Oil
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 oz Sugar-free Pumpkin Pie Spice Syrup (optional)
2 tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
2 tablespoons Water
2 large Eggs
3 tablespoons Liquid Egg Whites
1/3 cup Cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup Pecans or Walnuts, chopped

For the optional vanilla whey powder, use the equivalent amount of either baking mix or the almond flour if you prefer.  For the pumpkin pie spice syrup, use just a little more sugar substitute and 2 tablespoons of water.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.) Prepare 8 cupcake molds by spraying with baking spray or putting cupcake papers in them.

Chop the cranberries in a food processor so that they are small pieces but not too tiny. Chop the pecans into small pieces or break with your fingers.

In a medium bowl, add the flours, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and baking powder and mix together. Add the remaining ingredients, except the cranberries and nuts and mix until all the ingredients are moistened. Stir in the pecans and cranberries and mix into the batter well.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, about two tablespoons to each cup until they are about 2/3rds full. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, depending on your oven. Check with a toothpick inserted in the middle. If it comes out mostly clean, they are done.

Makes 8 cupcakes.

Nutrition Info per cupcake:
Calories:130.6 Fat: 10.2 g Net Carbs: 3.2 g Protein:5.9 g