Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

My neighbor and I have a standing Tuesday play date where the kids get together at either her place or mine and we gals can chit chat the afternoon away.  A couple weeks ago I went to her house and she pulled out the big guns - this amazing English tea set that had me feeling like I was truly a grown up.  I thought wow...this chic is the hostess with the mostest!  I have to step up my game!

So today when we decided to meet at her place again I quickly whipped up a batch of these cutie patootie mini muffins and brought them over fresh out of the oven.  They were a huge hit.  She kept saying, "You baked these??"  Yes, dear! You can bake them, too...

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

*Adapted from AllRecipes.com to be free of animal products.

·         3/4 cup white sugar

·         1/4 cup vegetable oil

·         2 tbsp flax meal mixed with warm water

·         3/4 cup canned pumpkin

·         1/4 cup water

·         1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

·         3/4 teaspoon baking powder

·         1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·         1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

·         1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

·         1/2 cup semisweet vegan chocolate chips

·         1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease and flour mini muffin pan or use paper liners. Mix sugar, oil, and flax meal (add enough warm water to make a liquidy paste.  This is your egg substitute). Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Add wet mixture, stir in chocolate chips and optional pecans. Fill mini muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.