Delicious and unusual ways to eat pumpkin
By Morgan Hannah, Life & Style Editor
I love the flavours of the fall season: cinnamon, sweet brown sugar, and pumpkin.
Pumpkin is the star of fall—stores start selling pumpkins as early as the beginning of September. If you plan on cooking with pumpkin, you’ll need a pie pumpkin, as they have sweeter, denser flesh than carving pumpkins. Here are four unique pumpkin-based recipes to launch the start of Autumn:
Vegan and Paleo Pumpkin Blondies
I wish I could take credit for these bad boys, but alas the food network beat me to it.
These pumpkin blondies are a thick, delicious treat that trick everyone because they’re actually healthier than you’d think! Featuring no butter or oil and only 105 calories per piece, these treats truly do pumpkin justice.
¾ cup creamy almond butter
3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
⅔ cup pureed pie pumpkin
½ cup coconut sugar, firmly packed
½ Tbsp vanilla extract
½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp coconut flour, sifted 31g
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
½ Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
3 Tbsp almonds, thinly chopped
Preheat oven to 325ºF and line the bottom of a baking pan with parchment paper, grease sides generously (I like to use coconut oil).
In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt the almond butter with the maple syrup in microwave until almond butter is creamy—about one minute. Add pumpkin into the mixture and beat with electric hand mixer until smooth. Beat the coconut sugar, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar into the almond butter mixture until well combined.
Add the sifted coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice into the mixture and stir until unified. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth out evenly. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top.
Let batter sit for five minutes before baking—this allows the flour to absorb moisture. Bake for about 50 to 55 minutes; use a toothpick to test if cooked all the way. Let cool before cutting.
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Pumpkin Truffles
Truffles are one of my favourite things to make. They’re easy, impressive, and interchangeable with your favourite ingredients. And the best part? Thanks to YouTube, you can watch someone else dip ‘em before you do to perfect your skills!
15 oz pureed pie pumpkin
1 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup pure cane sugar
1/8 cup coconut oil, melted
3 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
flaked sea salt, for topping
Add pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt, cinnamon, sugar, and coconut oil to a bowl and mix until combined. Add in coconut four and mix until smooth, the batter should be thick and not sticky. Use a mini ice cream scoop or a spoon to form truffles.
Place truffles on a baking sheet covered with wax paper and freeze them for about 20 minutes. Using a double boiler with low heat, melt the dark chocolate chips. Using a fork, lower the refrigerated batter balls into the melted chocolate, completely covering them.
Place coated truffles on a wire rack or baking sheet and immediately top with flaked sea salt. Place back in the freezer until solid.
Kürbissuppe (Pumpkin Soup)
German pumpkin soup is one of my grama’s best—it’s so hearty and creamy. Where she found this cultured recipe, I’ll never know. But what I do know is that this soup is a delicious way to make something unique with your pie pumpkin during Autumn!
1 medium pie pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 small onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon of white pepper
1/4 cup of Sauvignon Blanc
1 to 2 cups of chicken stock
1/2 cup of heavy cream
Pumpkin seeds for garnish
Preheat oven to 400ºF and line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash pumpkin and cut into large, even slices, leaving skin on. Separate and wash the seeds. Set them aside for later. Place pumpkin flesh side up on the baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast pumpkin slices for about 25 to 35 minutes, or until the flesh is soft and beginning to brown (use a fork to test softness).
While pumpkin is roasting, heat a large pot on medium-low heat and add in butter. Throw in shallot and onion, a pinch of sea salt, and white pepper. Stir together until onion is translucent. Add in Sauvignon Blanc and let cook for a minute or two, then scrape pumpkin flesh off hardened skin and into pot.
Slowly add in chicken stock until liquid reaches about a half inch below top of the pumpkin (adding too much stock will make soup too liquidy). Stir soup well and cover, letting it continue to cook on medium-low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir regularly. Turn off heat and allow soup to stop boiling, then mix in heavy cream. Using a hand mixer on high, puree ingredients until smooth (you can also use a blender on high speed).
Turn down oven to 300ºF and cover a parchment-paper lined baking sheet with washed, dried pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with oil and bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. When serving soup, garnish with a couple of pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of heavy cream on top.
Another Food Network recipe! Honestly, I don’t think I would’ve ever thought of pumpkin in my alcoholic beverage, but here ya go!
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz lemon tea
1 and 1/2 oz tequila
2 sachets 100 percent pumpkin purée
1 splash orange liqueur
ice cubes
1 pinch cinnamon
Blend all together and enjoy!
