Ricotta-Pumpkin Muffins with Pumpkin Seeds

1. Core, peel, and dice apple. Place in a small bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon and 1 teaspoon sugar as if making apple pie. Set 'pie apples' aside until juice begins to run, 15 to 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place pumpkin seeds in a coffee bean grinder and grind to a fine pulp. Place almonds in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin to desired size, making chunks as large or small as you wish.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 17 muffin tin cups with paper wrappers.

4. Mix together yogurt, ricotta cheese, pureed pumpkin, 1/2 cup of pie apples, applesauce, and egg in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in 1 cup sugar.

5. Mix together flour, wheat germ, wheat bran, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Stir in ground pumpkin seeds and smashed almonds; the batter will be very thick and stiff. Fill cupcake wrappers just to the top with batter; do not mound.

6. Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Cook's Notes:

You can use pureed squash instead of pureed pumpkin. And if you'd like, you can substitute more squash puree or applesauce for the pie apples.
1/2 c pureed squash or pumpkin
1 t cinnamon, nutmeg or ground cloves (to taste)

Plain yogurt can be substituted for vanilla yogurt.

Either purchase pumpkin seeds or save them after carving pumpkins.