Chocolate-Pumpkin Swirl Muffins

If I had to choose my number one favorite indulgence of all time, it's chocolate, no doubt. But once October comes I'm a sucker for anything pumpkin spice. And any combination of the two is next level amazing. Unlike most of pumpkin spice themed goodies sold in your local bakeries and grocery stores, these are free from gluten, dairy, processed oils, refined flour and added sugar. Plus, they happen to be vegan. So these will pretty much work for everyone! Unless you are a pumpkin spice hater, in which case I hope you see the light one day but you should pass on these until that comes.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup buckwheat flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 cup granulated sweetener*

• 2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (recipe below)

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 and 1/4 cup almond milk, divided

• 1/2 cup raw tahini paste

• 3/4 cup pureed pumpkin

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

• 1/4 cup chopped chocolate or mini chocolate chips

*I used erythritol but you can use monkfruit or coconut sugar, depending on what works for your body. I didn't test this recipe with a more liquid sweetener like honey or stevia, but if you try either of those and it comes out well let me know!

Pumpkin Pie Spice

• 3 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp nutmeg

• 1 tsp ginger

• 1 tsp ground cloves

• 1 tsp allspice, optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C or 350°F.

2. In a medium sized bowl combine all your dry ingredients- buckwheat flour, sweetener, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until combined,

3. Then add in 1 cup of almond milk, tahini, vanilla, and mix.

4. Scoop half the batter out into a separate bowl so that they're pretty evenly divided.

5. In one bowl add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and mix.

6. In the other bowl add the cocoa powder, 1/4 cup almond milk, chocolate chips, and mix.

7. Line a muffin tray with liners.

8. Scoop two heaping tablespoons of the chocolate batter into each muffin liner.

9. Then scoop two heaping tablespoons of pumpkin batter on top of the chocolate batter.

10. Use a toothpick to swirl the batters together, creating a marbled look.

11. Bake for 18-22 minutes. At 18 minutes, insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, they're done. If it comes out covered in batter, it needs a few more minutes.