Pumpkin-Nut Muffins (Healthier!)

To dress these up, place a walnut half on top of each muffin before baking. Also, take care to buy plain pumpkin puree, not spiced puree that may be labeled "pie filling."

• Ready In: 32 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1  cup unbleached flour or 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 1  cup sugar
• 2⁄3 cup whole wheat flour
• 2  teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup  canned plain pumpkin puree
• 2⁄3 cup 2% buttermilk
• 3  egg whites
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400*. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the unbleached or all-purpose flour, sugar, whole wheat flour, pumpkin pie spice, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the centee of the flour mixture.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, buttermilk, applesauce, and egg whites. Scrape into the well in the flour mixture. Stir just until the batter is moistened. Fold in walnuts.
4. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes. Invert onto the rack and serve warm or at room temperature.