winter squash muffins

 I canned some winter squash last year, when I'd use half or other reasons.  I was trying to feed it to the dog but it hasn't made her GI tract very happy, so I'm finding other uses. 

Muffins are always a good choice, and I'll try this recipe soon especially since I pulled a mystery jar out of the freezer that has turned out to be homemade applesauce needing to be used up.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (140 g) butternut squash puree - canned or cooked and mashed 
•  2 eggs (I have eggs to use up but I am going to try to start using "flax eggs")
•  ¼ cup (60 g) maple syrup (I'm omitting hoping the the squash and applesauce, etc. provide enough sweetness - if these are missing sweetness I'll try date paste in the future or something else)
•  ¼ cup (60 g) unsweetened applesauce
•  ½ cup (120 mL) plain Greek yogurt (I'm using plain yogurt I make)
•  ⅓ cup (80 mL) extra virgin olive oil
•   1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1 cup flour (125 g) (I'll use white whole wheat; can be GF)
• 1 cup (80 g) old fashioned oats
•  2 teaspoons baking powder
•  ½ teaspoon salt
•  1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (I'll use cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom ... )

Instructions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/204 degrees C. Use a silicone muffin tray or silicone liners if you have them. If not, grease or spray paper liners and place them in a regular muffin tray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the butternut squash, eggs, maple syrup, yogurt, oil, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine the flour, whole oats, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and whisk or stir together. The batter should be lumpy from the oats. Fill muffin tins for 12 muffins.   Transfer to the muffins to the preheated oven and bake on the center rack for 19 to 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the tops are very lightly browned. Remove the muffins from the oven. Let them cool for a few minutes in the muffin tray, then transfer to wire racks to finish cooling.