This Fall superfood (hint: pumpkin) makes everything taste better, and it's super nutritious too. It's extremely high in beta-carotene, a type of carotenoid, and a potent antioxidant. Carotenoids give pumpkin its bright orange color, and they're considered provitamins because they can be converted to active vitamin A in the body. 

Vitamin A and beta-carotene are the source of all the retinal in the pigments of the eye. If the body’s vitamin A stores are marginal, this can lead to the early vitamin A-deficiency symptoms of night blindness.

Get your pumpkin power on in this versatile, tasty grain-free pumpkin muffin.

Makes 16 muffins

I N G R E D I E N T S

Olive oil cooking spray

1¾ cup almond flour

½ cup coconut flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoons baking soda

Pinch of ground cloves

4 large eggs

1 15-oz. can pumpkin

5 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled

¼ cup unsulfured molasses

¼ cup pure maple syrup or low-glycemic CocoNectar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup chopped toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, or cacao nibs (optional)

D I R E C T I O N S

1. Preheat oven to 350^oF. Line muffin tins with paper baking cups. Lightly mist with cooking spray.

2. Stir together almond flour, coconut flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and ground cloves in a large bowl until combined. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl. Add pumpkin, coconut oil, molasses, syrup, and vanilla to eggs and whisk until combined. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir until incorporated. Fold in walnuts, cranberries or cacao nibs, if desired.

3. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling them two-thirds full. Bake until cooked through, 28 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans for about 5 minutes. Remove from pans and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap leftover muffins in plastic and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Per serving (1 muffin): 190 calories, 13g fat (5g sat), 47mg chol., 4g fiber, 5g protein, 15g carb, 275mg sodium, 2mg iron, 103mg calcium

Recipe courtesy of health.com