Chai Pumpkin Muffins for a Friend in Need + ALS Awareness

This recipe for Chai Pumpkin Muffins is a warm, spicy breakfast idea for fall. Adding chai spice and pumpkin pie spice is a great flavor combination. These muffins are perfect to warm up your home on a chilly day or take to a friend or family member in need.

I am partnering with Linqia on a charity program for today's post, to raise awareness about ALS {amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's Disease}. This charity campaign benefits the ALS Therapy Development Institute. Before I share more information about this disease, I have a fall-inspired muffin recipe to tell you about that's comforting, will make your house smell wonderful and is perfect to take to a friend or family member in need.

When I started thinking about how to share information about ALS for this post, the first thing that came to mind was I need to bake something. While I don't personally know anyone that suffers from the disease ALS, anytime I think of a friend or family member that is suffering, I want to do something to provide extra comfort.

Comfort can be in the form of a phone call, visit, or small gift to provide a bit of extra cheer. These fall-inspired muffins would be welcomed in a care basket. I think these muffins are best enjoyed warm and topped with nut butter.

I'm on a chai-pumpkin baking kick this year, as I have made this batch of muffins multiple times as well as this recipe for Pumpkin Chai Slow Cooker Oats.

Before I get to the muffin recipe, I want to share more information about ALS.

What is ALS?
ALS is a disease that impacts the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, specifically those that control voluntary muscle movement. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. {source}. Doctors estimate that 5-10% of ALS cases are caused by a gene mutation, but the rest do not have a known cause {source}. The famous physicist Steven Hawking has ALS.

Can ALS be treated?
There are currently two treatment drugs that can extend life expectancy by a few months - but the ALS Therapy Development Institute is working on a promising treatment, AT-1501. Learn more about AT-1501 here.

How can you help? 
Take action! The ALS Therapy Development Institute is a non-profit, biotech organization that is dedicated to finding a cure for ALS. Make a donation online by clicking here.
-------------------------------------------------

On to the muffin recipe. I used a pre-made chai spice, but this DIY Chai Spice Mix from Fit Foodie Finds also looks delicious.

Chai Pumpkin Muffins
Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white flour wheat flour
2 ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup sugar or maple syrup
2 Tablespoons unsweetened almond butter
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon chai spice
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional Chai Pumpkin Spice Sugar:
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon chai spice
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Mix wet ingredients in a food processor or mixer - bananas, eggs, pumpkin puree, oil, almond butter and vanilla extract.
*Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl - flour, sugar, chai spice, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
*Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined.
*Add batter to a muffin tin, with each muffin tin 3/4 full.
*Add ~1/2 teaspoon Chai Pumpkin Spice Sugar on top of each muffin.
*Bake for 25 minutes.

Looking for more recipes using chai spice? Try my:

• Flourless Chai Latte Banana Bread Muffins
• Pumpkin Chai Slow Cooker Oats