Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Let me tell you a story...

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Once upon a time there was this Princess. She was of coarse the fairest of all and had control over all the house hold...um land, I mean land!

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She danced, sang, and pranced around like most princesses do, but most of all she was known for her dramatic, and quite loud,  personality.

Often times you might walk into her living quarters to find jewelry, purses, and plastic heels strewed about the room. Then when you look up to see the Princess, you notice her standing against her table wearing an oversized tutu talking to a line up of her favorite princess dolls. She talks politely but demanding to them, and if one disappoints her she slaps them onto the floor...

Her mother, quite beautiful I might add, loved to watch this Princess grow on a daily basis but knew the more she grew the more independent she would become. Instead of request to be held and cuddled, it was more like, "Go away mom, I'm playing!"

 So, in her desperate efforts to hold onto her little princess just a little longer, before Teenage Charming comes along, her mother whisks her away into the kitchen to prepare a snack.

It's where they connect every time and share stories, laugh, and learn.

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And for that moment in time, nothing matters except the love in their hearts and the chocolate on their faces...

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Oh...and the muffins in the oven. Those are pretty important too...

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Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. spelt flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

dash of salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 c. homemade pumpkin puree, or puree from a can

1 egg-or 1 flax or chia egg

1 TB. vanilla

1/3 c. almond butter

1/3 c. melted coconut oil-cooled

1/4 c. packed finely shredded carrots, or 1 large carrot finely shredded

1/3 c. maple syrup

2 TB. non dairy milk

1/2 c. chocolate chips.

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Directions:

1. Whisk dry ingredients together, (flour, salt, BP, BS, spices) in a medium bowl.

2. In a separate bowl whisk the rest of the ingredients together, besides chocolate chips. Add wet to dry and stir until incorporated. DO not overmix. Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Spoon batter into muffin liners in cupcake pan. Bake in a preheated oven of 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes.

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As soon as the muffins are done and consumed, the little princess gives her mother a hug and a kiss and quickly runs off to her big girl duties.

The mother, grateful for the time they spent, realizes what a precious and polite angel that little princess really is and wants nothing more than to give her one last big hug before she goes about her duties.

Knowing this would be no easy task, the Princess' mother bends down and says to the princess, "Can I tell you a secret?" In which the princess replies, "Sure!"

Her mother quietly whispers in her ear saying, "I Love You!"

At that moment, the Princess looked at her mom, rolled her eyes, and said...

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"That's no secret Mom!"

The end.