Pumpkin Cupcakes

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Happy (belated) Halloween!  This time of year, pumpkin spice is everywhere. Grocery store shelves are filled with pumpkin coffee cakes, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin cookies, even Cheerios are now made in pumpkin spice flavor. So of course I have to post yet another pumpkin recipe.  These are cupcakes I made for a Halloween party last year, and are very similar to my recipe for Maple and Chia Pumpkin Bars. They use a whole can of pumpkin, so they are very moist, full of real pumpkin flavor, and super simple to mix together.  They are great in donut form as well, eaten without frosting as a healthy morning meal, or decorated for Halloween festivities. If you are like me and have a lot of left over candy corn now that Halloween is passed, they will make a fantastic treat to surprise your kids with even after the sweetest of holidays has passed. Maybe I'll even make them today, since it is officially my half birthday, and I should at least eat (half) a cupcake!

Maple & Chia Pumpkin Bars

Maple & Chia Pumpkin Bars

Every fall when I post my first pumpkin recipe, I write about how nothing says autumn like pumpkin spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and of course, pumpkin.  But here it is the end of September and I have been too busy to even bake my first pumpkin recipe.  I am not sure when or why I came up with this twist on my all time favorite Pumpkin Brownie recipe, but it's a definite keeper. From past recipes, you know how much I love chia seeds, especially in baked goods where I love the chewy texture, and nutritional boost they give to even the sweetest of treats.  This recipe calls for a little less sugar than a lot of my pumpkin desserts, but they taste just as good.  I actually love the slightly less sweet nature of this recipe as it makes a satisfying breakfast or a perfect afternoon snack.  Of course you could definitely add a thin layer of cream cheese frosting and a few cinnamon sprinkles and make it even more delectable. (next time!) I originally used granulated maple sugar in this recipe, which adds a wonderful flavor, but costs a bit more, so a combination of organic brown and/or white sugar would work as well. And if you don't like chia seeds, you can substitute 2 or 3 eggs to help bind the bars together. I've actually added a couple of eggs in addition to the soaked chia once as well to make them a little more dense. And they are great with walnuts added in for an extra protein and flavor boost. My kids love these for snacks, and your house will smell like the taste of fall for hours after you bake them. Happy Pumpkin Spice Season everyone!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Happy Thanksgiving, and early Christmas all baked into one!  This delectable dessert brings together my favorites from both holidays (pumpkin and gingerbread) into one taste of heaven. Not too sweet, and full of flavor, this dessert was so good that the large pan of them were eaten by my small family of four within a couple of days.  I actually put half of them into the freezer, only to take them out two days later for breakfast. I found a recipe like this online, but used whole wheat flour, cut the sugar in half and replaced the cool whip with organic whipped cream and a touch of sugar. They do take a little more work than most of the desserts I throw together, but this one is worth the extra effort.  So even if you don't have time today to make something extra for the big feast, this sweet treat will be in season for at least another month, if not all winter!  Happy Holidays everyone!

All About Pumpkin

Even if it weren't for the drop in nighttime temperature and the fact that my modest back yard organic garden looks about done for the year, it is obvious that fall has arrived in my home.  No longer am I sitting outside in the sunshine reading a book when I have a free moment, or inside washing pounds of produce from my garden.  I noticed it a few weeks ago when my son went back to school and the temperature dropped... that unmistakable urge to bake that comes when I feel cooped up inside my house.  Over the course of three days I baked four different items and if it weren't for my children's relentless after school schedule (soccer, dance, guitar lessons, baseball...) I am sure I would have baked even more treats.  Not that we have that many mouths to feed.  :)  And of course when fall comes around and my favorite season full of fresh produce is over, what do I turn to in my kitchen?  PUMPKIN!!!

Growing in my backyard!!

Not only is pumpkin easy to use and convenient to have on hand, but it is also extremely nutritious. It is one of the lowest calorie vegetables and contains no saturated fats or cholesterol.  However, it is high in fiber, anti-oxidants, minerals (copper, calcium, potassium and phosphorus) and vitamins A, C and E.

Usually I am happy to use canned pumpkin and to be honest I have never roasted and scooped out the inside of a sugar pumpkin for baking, but this year we are attempting to grow a few in our yard.  If the not so healthy vine does grow me a usable pumpkin or two, I will definitely roast it up and use it in one of the following delicious recipes... none of which are a basic pumpkin pie.  Why stick to something so boring (although a favorite of my husband) when there are so many other options to experiment with?  My all time favorite is a recipe I concocted last fall after looking up pumpkin bar recipes online and not finding anything that I liked.  After a few tries, I got the recipe perfect and it has been a year round favorite in our home ever since... pumpkin pie brownies!!  Not only are they delicious and nutritious (one sure way to get my very picky daughter to eat some vegetables), but they make the house smell amazing while cooking and for hours afterwards.  All of the recipes that follow are original pumpkin creations (or modified versions of old favorites) that my whole family looks forward to each fall. Happy baking!!