Gratitude # 47

I experimented in the kitchen again. After enjoying a slice of pumpkin loaf from Starbucks, I really wanted to have more pumpkin goodness at hand. The thought of four eggs in a recipe kind of repulsed me in the sense that — even if it made two loaves (or a loaf plus 12 muffins) — it seems too excessively fatty. So, a few substitutions to bring down the fat content and increase the fiber content, and I had fresh pumpkin muffins and a lovely loaf. The slices of my pumpkin loaf even seemed to keep shape better than usual — I  have a very bad habit of cutting my breads too soon, even when I give them time to cool. I also made a batch of peanut butter banana oatmeal muffins. That’s a mouthful and a half, but the point was to create a high fiber, low-fat, high protein treat. I used yogurt in place of milk and added walnuts. They came out fabulous. I’m very pleased with the results of today’s kitchen experiments, and I know I’ve got some healthy options for when hunger strikes between meals. I love getting a load of nutrients in a nice hand-held package.