I was really holding on to summer this year! I'm just not ready for the cold weather and dark evenings. To combat my sad mood, I've thrown myself into cooking, baking, and recipe testing. I have a dream of releasing a cook book one day so I'm constantly documenting what I make and what needs tweaking. And this has helped inspire me to plan more food content for the future!
If you don't like pumpkin then you won't like these recipes. But if you do...keep reading!
While the treats are delicious, they offer a bonus: health! Pumpkin is loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants, nutrient-dense, and low in calories. It is a powerful fruit (yes, it's a fruit) that we can utilize for the amazing benefits AND taste.
It feels like October flew by, and suddenly Halloween is upon us. I know the holiday looks a bit different this year, so if you're not going out this year (as we shouldn't be...social distancing is still important!), then celebrate at home by decorating, getting cozy, watching scary movies, and making some delicious desserts.
#1 Pumpkin Pancakes: Dairy-free & Gluten-free
Super simple and good for any time of the day, not just breakfast! You could also double the recipe and freeze them for later. I've seen similar recipes floating around online and I think it's such a fun, easy way to include pumpkin in more meals.
Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon (optional)
Directions
Mix all of the ingredients together
Heat a pan and coat with nonstick spray (or melted ghee)
Once the pan is warm, slowly pour batter into the pan in small dollops. It's better to aim for "silver dollar pancake" sizing so it's easier to flip and so they don't burn.
Cook one one side until the edges look firm and small bubbles start forming, then flip.
#2 Pumpkin Peanut Butter Smoothie: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Low Sugar
Every time I look up recipes for pumpkin smoothies, added ingredients come up that I don't want in my smoothie. Every time I tried making my own, the pumpkin flavor was too intense (even for me). So with this recipe, I've finally nailed the taste and texture, but the ingredients are simple and hopefully things that you can find in your pantry.
Ingredients
4-5 ice cubes
2 heaped spoonfuls of pumpkin puree
1 heaped spoonful of peanut butter (preferably the natural kind so the consistency is smoother)
1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tbsp flax meal (optional)
Directions
Blend it all together!
Sprinkle more pumpkin pie spice on top if you prefer, or add any topping you want. I find that this ratio results in a smoother consistency and a hint of pumpkin flavor without being too overwhelming.
#3 Baked Pumpkin Bites with Vanilla Glaze; Dairy-Free
I'm currently finishing up my last semester in my culinary program, and our big project was to be the Head Chef of the class and create a menu for people to place orders through. This recipe was one of the dessert options I had for my menu and it turned out great! There are tons of options out there for fun baked dessert "bites" and there are multiple ingredients that you can experiment with if you have certain dietary requirements. I made mine gluten-free and dairy-free for class; the recipe I'm posting here is also dairy-free, but keep in mind you can swap the flour for another preferred flour if needed.
Ingredients for the bites
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (can be substituted with gluten-free flour or almond flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup almond milk
Ingredients for the glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2-4 tbsp almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup white sugar (optional)
2 tbsp cinnamon (optional)
Directions for bites
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Sift all the dry ingredients together in a bowl
Whisk all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl
Dump the dry bowl into the wet bowl and fold all the ingredients together without overmixing. The mixture will be thick but still able to fall off a spoon.
Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray (or line it) and use an ice cream scoop (or a spoon) to put dollops of the mixture into each cup. *Note: you'll see that the mixture holds its shape at first, but the muffin tin helps it to not spread out while you work on filling the tin. Once they start baking, they will stay in a ball with a flat bottom.
Bake for about 15 minutes; they'll still have a "bouncy" feel to them because they're soft.
Let cool completely
Directions for glaze
Put powdered sugar in a bowl
Add almond milk 1 tbsp at a time, while whisking, until you get the desired consistency. The glaze should be thick but still run off the back of a spoon.
Mix in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon together.
When the pumpkin bites are cooled down, dip them in the glaze and put them on a drying rack
Working quickly (before the glaze dries), dust the cinnamon-sugar mixture over all of the bites.
Thank you for reading! Have a safe Halloween and I'll see you next Friday!
*all pictures are my own.
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