Karla Tafra
Pumpkin is all around us, from grocery stores and farmer’s markets to fashion and accessories. Let’s dive into the Cinderella dream together and create these five healthy pumpkin recipes you need to try this fall!
Pumpkin Muffin or Pumpkin Bread?
Why not have both! This recipe is super versatile as the batch can be used to fit any mold, making it possible to bake a gorgeous looking loaf of bread as well as some scrumptious muffins! The only thing you need to do is make some space in your oven.
All you need:
- 2 cups oat flour (or substitute for almond to make it grain-free)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- sprinkle of salt
- 2 large eggs (or flax eggs to make it vegan)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tbsp honey (or agave syrup, maple syrup, coconut sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and fold in the melted coconut oil (make sure the oil is not hot as it will “cook” the eggs), pumpkin puree, honey, and vanilla extract. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet until well combined and transfer to a rectangular dish (for bread) or muffin molds (for muffins). Place in the oven and bake for 30-45 min or until the toothpick comes out dry (sometimes even 45 min isn’t enough as it all depends on your pumpkin puree, so keep on checking it every 5 min or so). You can eat it as is (it’s super delicious and moist!) or add icing and other toppings if you want to spice it up!
The BEST pumpkin soup
We’re sure you’ve had your fair share of pumpkin soups in your life, but wait till you try this one before making the bold statement of “the best you ever had.”
The ingredients you’ll need:
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 kabocha pumpkin cut in cubes (seasoned with salt and pepper)
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (preferably full fat)
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp coconut oil
Preheat the oven to 400º. Toss the cubed pumpkin in salt and pepper and drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil to coat all the cubes thoroughly. Spread out on a large pan lined with baking sheet and place in the oven to bake for 40-50 min, until the pumpkin is soft and golden. Take out of the oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, dice up the onion and garlic and saute in coconut oil until soft. Add pumpkin to fry it up before adding vegetable stock, coconut milk, and all other spices. Reduce the heat down to a simmer and gently stir for 5-10 min. Carefully transfer all to a blender and blend until creamy. Transfer it all back to the pan and stir once through before serving. Garnish with some toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped cilantro, or even add a dollop of yogurt. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Pancakes
Take your pancake game to a whole new level with this pumpkin recipe! It will satisfy your every craving, and the best part is: you can make it sweet OR savory – you only need to change a couple of things!
This is what you need for the base (makes about 10-12 pancakes depending on desired thickness):
- 1 1/2 cups oat flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs (or flax eggs to make it vegan)
- 1/2 pumpkin puree
- 1 cup almond milk (or any other milk of choice)
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
For savory pancakes
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp oregano, rosemary, thyme or any other spice you want
- 1 extra tsp of salt
For sweet pancakes
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground clove
- 2 tbsp sweetener of choice
- (optional) 1/2 cup chocolate chips
In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and fold in the coconut oil, pumpkin puree, almond milk, and the sweetener of choice (omit for savory version). Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until well combined (fold in the chocolate chips at the end!). If the batter seems a bit too thick, add a tbsp or two of almond milk.
Heat a griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat and coat with coconut oil. Using a ladle, drop about 1/4 batter onto the pan and cook until bubbles start to show up (around 2 min). Check to see if the bottom is nice and golden, then flip the pancake and cook for 30 more seconds. And voilà! You have your super fluffy and airy pancakes. Top them off with whatever your heart desires! Our choice would be creamy mushrooms and goat cheese for the savory version and maple syrup or chocolate fudge for the sweet one!
Pumpkin & Mushroom Risotto (With a Twist!)
Ain’t nobody got time for a boring risotto, and this rich and creamy goodness is going to be your best friend during the soon-to-be-here cold nights. Quick and easy to make, this recipe calls for:
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp butter (or vegan butter) and 1 tbsp for the end
- 1 acorn squash cut in half and cleaned
- 2 cups of mushrooms of your choice (experience all the season has to offer)
- 1 cup of rice
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup shredded feta cheese (or vegan cheese)
Preheat the oven to 400º. Place the acorn squash halves facing up on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 30-40 min, or until you can feel the flesh getting soft.
Meanwhile, boil some salted water in a small pot and add the cup of rice, letting it cook half-way while you prepare everything else. The exact ratio and cooking time will depend on the variety of rice you chose to cook, so check the back of the packaging for instructions.
Dice up the onion and garlic and saute them in 1 tbsp butter. Once they’ve turned gold, add another tbsp of butter and throw in the sliced mushrooms. Let them get soft and release water, stirring slowly, making sure they don’t burn.
Once the pumpkin has softened up, take it out and carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving just enough so that the pumpkin half doesn’t fall apart (because you’ll fill it with the risotto – plot twist!). Dice the scooped out flesh into smaller pieces and add to the onions and mushrooms. Add the vegetable stock and transfer the half-way cooked rice into the risotto, stirring everything in and reducing the heat to a simmer. Keep on stirring so that you don’t burn your risotto and add in all the spices. Make sure you don’t lose the liquid before the rice has finished cooking; stop and check every once in a while (add water if needed). When the risotto is done, stir in the last tbsp of butter. Once it melted completely, transfer the risotto to the empty acorn squash halves and sprinkle the cheese on top. Place back in the oven for about 10 min, or until the cheese has melted completely. Take out and garnish with some fresh cilantro, mint, basil, or microgreens of choice!
No-bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
Now, we all know cheesecake is the queen of cakes, but adding a touch of pumpkin into the mix is making this all-time favorite dessert a whole lot more interesting! Keeping it on the healthier side, try out this no-bake version and feel zero remorse when finishing the entire thing in just a few days.
Ingredients for the base:
- 1 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup pitted and pre-soaked (at least 10 min in warm or hot water) dates
- 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
Ingredients for the filling
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup cashews (soaked overnight)
- 2 tbsp honey/maple syrup/agave syrup/coconut nectar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cloves
Start by placing all the ingredients for the base into a food processor and pulsing until a thick and sticky dough forms. You might need to stop and scrape the sides a few times. If the dough isn’t getting combined well, add a splash of water and pulse again. Once the batter is nice and sticky, transfer into a rectangular shaped dish lined with parchment paper. Press down into the dish, flattening out the surface and place in the fridge to set.
Place the cashews and pumpkin puree into the food processor and pulse until creamy. Add the spices and honey and pulse again, making sure everything gets incorporated nicely. If the mixture looks too chunky, add a splash of water. Take out the dish from the fridge and pour in the creamy cheesecake filling, evening out the surface with a spatula. Place in the freezer to set.
Now, this might be the time when you decide you want to add something extra to the cake and make a pumpkin spice drizzle. Just blend up 1/2 cup pitted and pre-soaked dates, 2 tbsp coconut oil, and all the spices, drizzle over the cake and place back into the freezer to harden up. Alternatively, you could sprinkle some cacao nibs, sliced nuts, or coconut flakes on top!
It’s that time of the year when ‘pumpkin everything’ is precisely what we need, so make good use of this seasonal, nutritious ingredient and play around with these healthy recipes!
