Easy Pumpkin Spice Muffins

One 18 oz package Spice Cake mix (or carrot cake mix)
One 15 oz can pure pumpkin
1/3 cup water
3 egg whites
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/3 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

Mix cake mix, pumpkin, water, and egg whites at medium speed for three minutes. Add raisins and nuts then mix for another minute. Spoon into greased (or lined) muffin pan, filling cups 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 for 17-21 minutes. Yields 20-24 muffins.

**If these are too healthy for you, serve with cream cheese spread or cream cheese frosting.

Vegan Muffins

2 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. fruit (or other add-ins)

Blend all the dry ingredients with a spoon or fork and then add the fruit or add-ins. If you stir that into the batter while it is dry, the goodies stay suspended in the batter.

Add:
1/2 c. milk - soymilk or ricemilk. Ricemilk makes the outsides very tender and gives a nice little crisp to the tops.
1/2 c. applesauce
egg replacer for 2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Blend only until everything is good and moist. Don't stir too much.

Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes til a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 1 dozen small muffins or 6 large ones. I use my silicone muffin cups for these.

I have used blueberries, apples, bananas, and carrots for these and had great results with all of them. I think you could also use strawberries, cranberries, chocolate chips, peaches, and maybe even mandarin oranges. They are always very moist and delicious.