Source: Reprinted with permission from The Joslin Diabetes Quick and Easy Cookbook. Copyright ©1998 by Francis Towner Giedt, Bonnie Sanders Polin, and Joslin Diabetes Center. Joslin's cookbooks may be purchased from www.store.joslin.org

Canned pumpkin mixed with nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice make these muffins a treat on those cool autumn days.

Servings

0.75 cup Flour, all purpose, unbleached, enriched
0.5 cup Oats, rolled, old fashioned (divided)
0.25 cup packed brown sugar (divided)
1 tsp low sodium baking powder
0.5 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
0.25 tsp ground allspice
0.12 tsp salt (optional)
0.5 cup Pumpkin, canned, unsalted
1 Eggs, large, raw , slightly beaten
0.5 cup fat free milk
2 tbsp Margarine, 80% fat , melted
1.5 tsp grated orange peel
0.12 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cooking spray

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 6 regular muffin tins with paper baking cups or lightly coat the bottoms only with vegetable cooking spray.
2 In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) oats, 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt (if using).
3 In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, egg, milk, and margarine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the pumpkin mixture, Mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix.
4 Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling almost full.
5 To make the topping, mix together the remaining 2 tablespoon of oats, remaining 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar, orange zest, and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over the top of each muffin.
6 Bake for 22 - 25 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. Cool the muffins in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing. serve warm.

These muffins are sublime, in large part due to their nicely spiced crunchy topping. Serve these on a cold morning, and you're sure to get raves. Use leftover pumpkin to make pumpkin soup or pumpkin custard for dinner.