This coming Thursday, my small home will be overfilled with love in good food and family as we celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s always a sweet time of gathering in good old American football and in reverence of a Holy God.
Before the turkey is carved and the mashed potatoes are well dug into, my family slowly makes our way around the table to recognize one thing that has brought us thankfulness in the past year. For some it’s a blessing in gain yet for others it may be a blessing that came through loss. Either way, it brings those of us around the table closer as after each one has shared we hold each other’s hands, bow our heads, and thank The One who gives and takes away.
Since I’m hosting my family this year, we took the week off in homeschool to spend our days cleaning, making some handmade decorations, baking, and of course cooking. This year’s traditional, real food menu is going to include some of my favorites. I’m using The Pioneer Woman’s brining recipe for our 15lb pastured turkey. It’s my favorite! For sides, I’m going to include some good old mashed potatoes with a lot of butter, maple cranberry sweet potatoes, maple glazed butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and bacon gratin, ciabatta stuffing with chorizo, sweet potato, and mushrooms, fermented cranberry sauce, a small pastured honeyed ham, and some fresh bakery rolls or bread.
Of course, we’ll also have pie! I plan on making a naturally sweetened apple pie, a naturally sweetened pumpkin pie, and a german chocolate pecan pie.
I’ll most certainly post photos on instagram of my preparations in this coming week so make sure to follow me by clicking here.
One of my favorite things about hosting large feasts is making use of all of the leftover food. I’ll soon share my recipe for turkey enchilada’s, turkey a’ la king, and my favorite grilled cheese sandwich with turkey and cranberry sauce. Besides the turkey, I love making use of leftover sweet potatoes and butternut squash. One of my favorite ways to use them up is to puree them the next morning to make gently sweetened butternut squash (or sweet potato) chocolate chip muffins.
Honey Sweetened, Butternut Squash Chocolate Chip Muffins
These muffins are a cinch to make made with 1 cup of butternut squash puree and einkorn flour. They can most certainly be made with sweet potato puree as well.
The natural sweetness in the butternut squash, coupled with honey and spice makes these a favorite autumn treat or after Thanksgiving breakfast. They are moist, and stay delightfully fresh for up to 3 days.
Honey Sweetened, butternut squash chocolate chip muffins. Delightfully sweetened with honey and filled with spice! They stay moist for up to 3 days.
Ingredients:
- 1½ cups einkorn flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tbls pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, just barely softened
- ½ cup honey
- 1 cup butternut squash puree
- 1 tbls cream
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda,baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and honey until well combined; 3 minutes. Add the butternut squash puree, cream, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Lower the speed to low, and 1/4 cup at a time, add the flour mixture until just mixed. Do not overmix.
- Gently, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake at 350F for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Also, great news everyone! Jovial has once again partnered with My Humble Kitchen. I can’t think of a better season to try out their einkorn flour. If you visit their online store by clicking here you can get 10% off plus FREE shipping by using the coupon code, HumbleK. Start your holiday baking season by using the traditional and nourishing, low gluten flour, einkorn!
Can I use all-purpose or regular whole wheat flour rather than Einhorn?
Yes, Mary! That should be fine.
These look so good! Yes, every year I cook and then freeze anything I can grow like squash, pumpkins, etc. I use them all in muffins, waffles, cakes, etc. I love that it adds a little moisture and health to whatever I am making. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I’m pinning it to my pumpkin board. Wishing you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving, Diana.
I am thankful for you Diana! You make a difference in my day, and my life. Thank you for all you do for your family and sharing your heartaches, struggles, and triumphs. You further the cause of healthy food, help me how to navigate the tricky waters of consumerism and bright packaging with my own 8-year old, and provide delicious inspiration. You accomplish so very much. I appreciate learning at your knee. 🙂
Joan
Thanks for such a sweet comment, Joan. I’m equally blessed by you! Have a great week 😀
Beautiful Diana! I saw this recipe when you first posted it & was super excited to make them! I love muffins – they are my mid-morning snack & easy to bring w/me for a snack when I’m out & about. So, I’m always looking for healthy muffin recipes. I love squash too & never thought about baking with it. Anyways, a few weeks ago I made a batch. Loved the dough – lol! And LOVED the baked product! Super nummy! I immediately made another batch (to freeze some). I used King Arthur’s 100% Whole Grain Whole Wheat (I need to read your write up on einkorn flour). And then, I used roasted sweet (not yams) potatoes. Left out the choc chips not because I didn’t want to but because I didn’t want the added sugar. Thanks for sharing your recipe! I will be making these again! Love ya tons! Big Hugs to you & all the family 🙂
These are in the oven right now, and they smell so good! I was craving something pumpkin, and came to your site for your pumpkin bar recipe (a family favorite) and saw this recipe. So I used pumpkin to make these. It’s a squash too, right?
I love all your recipes using Einkorn, as it’s the only wheat we eat. Thank you!