Pecan Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Marscapone Filling

It’s the first day of fall, time to fill the kitchen with pumpkins and incorporate them into healthy, hearty culinary creations. Here I used some puréed pumpkin to make some nutrient-dense muffins. They are also based upon sprouted spelt flour and sprouted buckwheat flour. Spelt is an ancient grain that has been shown to be easier to digest than several newer varieties. Both spelt and buckwheat have a nutty flavour that works well for muffins and using sprouted options ensures maximum nutrient bioavailability. Eating healthily is only part of the equation- to maximize the effect of doing so we need to make the nutrients in our food as bioavailable as possible, meaning that the food has to be processed in such a way as to make the nutrients available for us to digest and absorb. Whole grains have natural protective coatings that are known as anti-nutrients because they hinder us from fully breaking down the grains and getting their goodness. Sprouting the grains gets rid of those anti-nutrients and both increases the nutrients present and increases their bioavailability. The extra step in production makes this flour more costly by a few extra dollars but it is well worth it for anyone with digestive issues or those trying to maximize their nutrient intake. These muffins are made from dense whole grains with a relatively low amount of fat so they are on the drier side. A spoonful of marscapone mixed with maple syrup in the middle of each adds a bit of moisture and creaminess. Marscapone is a soft cheese made from cream, it is extremely light and delicately sweet and is more comparable to clotted cream or crème fraîche than cream cheese. For this purpose however, cream cheese (dairy-free options available in several health food stores) would be the best substitute.Maple sugar is made from dried pure maple syrup. It is nice as a natural tea or coffee sweetener and a pinch on the top of the muffins before they go into the oven adds an extra bit of sweetness.