Easy Pumpkin Muffins

So I have seen this recipe floating around Pinterest for a while not and never tried it.  But this weekend, fall was in the air, and the ingredients were handy, and it seemed like it would be healthier than making true scratch pumpkin muffins.  I am so glad I gave it a try because these were really good!  And I think they are kind of healthy (pumpkin is a veggie, right?) and I figured the mini muffins out to be about 50 calories each.  Minimal effort, and amazing taste/texture.  Kids and Jason approved as well.  

Easy Pumpkin Muffins

1 box yellow cake mix

1 15 oz can pure pumpkin

optional - brown sugar

Mix the pumpkin and the cake mix and spoon into greased muffin tin.  I used my mini muffin tin and am glad I did, they are perfect for one biting! The bigger ones would work too I am sure.  When you spoon the mix in, it will be sort of stiff and weird shaped but that's totally OK, they taste fabulous.  I guess you could go and flatted the tops of all of them if you were so inclined- but I wasn't.  I did sprinkle some brown sugar on top of them though, just as a lazy chef's streusel, and that added a nice touch to them, so I definitely recommend taking that extra step.  You could make a more proper streusel if you wanted to and I am sure it'd be amazing but this worked and the energy output matched what I had in mind.  

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or so (probably closer to 20 for full size muffins) and enjoy!  

Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi

Kat and I made this one night after a Hot Yoga class, and it was her first time having fish tacos!  She loved it and so did I.  Super light, healthy and satisfying.  Mahi is only 30 calories per ounce (I think) and super high protein.  Win win.  

Not sure how important the ginger is, I didn’t really notice it- but it is in the title so maybe it adds something. Kat and I chopped up the fish and served it in corn tortillas with a slather of sour cream (lazy white sauce) and cheddar cheese.   I burnt the glaze too the first time but it might be worth trying again, although in the tacos it wasn’t necessary. 

Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi

3 T. honey
3 T. soy sauce
3 T. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp. olive oil
4 – 6 oz. mahi mahi
salt and pepper to taste
1 T. vegetable oil
optional - corn tortillas, sour cream, cheese

In a shallow glass dish, stir together the marinade (everything except fish and vegetable oil.)  Season the fish with salt and pepper and place them in the glass dish.  If the filets have skin, place them skin side down.  Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Remove fish and reserve marinade.  Fry fish with a small amount of vegetable oil for 4-6 minutes on each side, turning only once, until fish flakes easily with a fork.  Remove filets to a serving platter and keep warm. 

Pour reserved marinade into the skillet and heat over medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistency.  Spoon glaze over fish and serve immediately.