Raisin Orange Pumpkin Muffins

Delicious moist and naturally sweetened muffins.

2 large ripe bananas
1/2 cup orange juice plus zest of one orange
15 oz. canned pumpkin
1/2 cup date paste (recipe below)
2 Tablespoons. ground flax seeds
1 Tablespoon Apple Pie Spice
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 cup raisins
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
14 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

First make the date paste-recipe below

Preheat oven to 350 degrees .  blend in a food processor - bananas and orange juice until smooth.  Add pumpkin, date paste, vanilla, zest, flax seeds and spices and continue processing until smooth and creamy.  Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the oats and raisins.  spoon an equal amount of batter into a muffin tin  Use muffin liners or grease your muffin tin lightly.Fill each muffin cup with 1/2 cup of batter (they do not raise). Sprinkle chopped nuts and cinnamon on top of each muffin.  (I use a little old fashioned  nut grinder for the nuts) .

Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Date Paste
One pound of pitted dates and one cup of unsweetened grape juice. in a saucepan.

Bring the mixture to almost boiling and turn the heat off and let it cool.  Blend it together in a food proccessor until it is completely smooth.  Store the date past in the refrigerator.  You can make a half recipe to use in these muffins. Or the whole recipe and keep the rest for another batch or something else later.  It is a yummy way to sweeten things without using sugar.