Tag: pumpkin

Posted on

Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a great option if you’re missing popcorn or chips, OR if you’re like me, and you just love them. I save all winter squash seeds and follow the same recipe (tweaked only based on quantity of seeds). To get more nutrition from the seeds AND to make easier to digest, soak them overnight in filtered water.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

cleaneatingwithkatie
Pumpkin seeds are the unsung hero of pumpkin season. Pumpkin spice everything gets all the attention, but I'm a major fan of pumpkin seeds.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 2-4 tbsp grass-fed butter
  • pumpkin seeds winter squash seeds work too
  • sea salt
  • garlic powder
  • ground pepper

Instructions
 

  • Soak seeds in filtered water overnight. Drain and clean
  • Preheat oven to 350° F. On a rimmed baking sheet, add seeds, several pats of butter (use your judgement here on butter to seed ratio, and sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  • Since I don't melt the butter beforehand, be sure to mix seeds to make sure that all the seeds are coated with butter or they will burn.
  • Cook for 15-25 minutes. Here's how I really judge them: when the seeds have absorbed the butter and are golden brown. Enjoy!!
Keyword pumpkin seeds, snack, winter squash
Posted on

Pumpkin Spice Protein Bites

On our way out of Houston, TX earlier in 2018, we stopped at a local coffee and kombucha place. They also had some peanut butter chocolate energy bars. The bar was amazing, but had a few ingredients I prefer to avoid. It got my wheels spinning and thus, I created Almond Butter Chocolate Protein Bites. I decided that this recipe could be easily tweaked to make a pumpkin version for pumpkin season This would be the perfect recipe to make with little kiddos!

Pumpkin Spice Protein Bites

cleaneatingwithkatie
This is a new pumpkin version of the Almond Butter Chocolate Protein Bites recipe and is perfect for pumpkin spice season. Unlike most other pumpkin spice things, this is made with real food ingredients and it won't leave you feeling hangry.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 5 people

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup canned pumpkin
  • ¾ cup gluten free oats
  • 5 tbsp warm water
  • ½ cup cashew butter or other nut butter
  • 3 scoops collagen peptides beef or marine
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp raw local honey
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Instructions
 

  • Add the oats and the warm water to a bowl, stir and let sit for 30 minutes. 
  • Once the oats have absorbed the liquid, mix in the remaining ingredients.
  • Use a cookie dough scooper to portion energy balls in paper liners (they are a bit sticky).
  • Enjoy right away or refrigerate covered for up to 3 days (if they'll last that long!).
Keyword apple dessert, fall dessert, pumpkin spice, pumpkin spice protein bites, snack
Posted on

Grain-Free Pumpkin Cookies

This recipe is inspired by a pumpkin cookie recipe that I fell in love with years ago. I remember thinking, who needs pumpkin pie if you have these cookies. I know -very controversial, but I still stand by that statement today – 100%. In this recipe, I swap out white flour for “Paleo” flours, regular sugars for low-glycemic sugars/less processed sugars, and I use grass-fed butter.

 

Grain-Free Pumpkin Cookies with Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

Grain-Free Pumpkin Cookies

cleaneatingwithkatie
This recipe is inspired by a delectable gluten-full pumpkin cookie recipe. It took a lot of tweaks to make a delish grain-free version. I also include two "frosting" options – dairy and dairy-free.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 24 minutes
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10 people

Equipment

  • Med. cookie scooper ~2 tbsp

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Otto's Cassava Flour
  • ¾ cup tapioca starch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 2 eggs pasture-raised
  • 1 cup grass-fed butter coconut oil can be subbed for dairy free option
  • 1¼ cup pumpkin purée
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 3 oz cream cheese organic
  • 4 tbsp grass-fed butter
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 2 cups confectioners sugar
  • ~2 tbsp water

Dairy-Free "Frosting"

  • cinnamon-sugar marshmallows regular marshmallows work well too

Instructions
 

Cookie Recipe:

  • Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment (I use baking stones for cookie baking.)
  • Combine the first six ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  • Add the butter and coconut sugar to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on low-medium until well combined. Add the maple syrup and mix again. Scrape down the sides and add the eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla. Mix on low-medium until well combined. 
  • With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredient mixture a little at a time. Scrape down the sides one more time and mix well. 
  • Using a cookie scooper (I use the medium size from Pampered Chef ~ 2 Tbsp.), drop cookies onto a baking stone or parchment lined cookie sheet, about 2" apart.
  • Bake for 20-24 minutes or until cookies test done when touched in the center. 
  • Cool cookies and frost with one of the following: 

Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Add the cream cheese, butter, and ginger to mixing bowl and mix on high until light a fluffy. 
  • Half a cup at a time, add the confectioners sugar and mix into the cream cheese and butter mixture. Add water to the mixture and mix until a proper spreading consistency. 
  • Spread a generous layer of frosting on each cookie. 

Cinnamon Sugar Marshmallow "Frosting"

  •  Turn on oven to low broil. 
  • Just before serving your pumpkin cookies, place cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet (don't skip this – it gets messy). Top with one marshmallow per cookie. 
  • Broil until marshmallow turn golden brown and begin to ooze marshmallow goodness. 
  • Serve immediately. This is such an easy way to "frost" cookies and is my ABSOLUTE NEW FAVORITE frosting. Must try!
Keyword cookies, fall dessert, grain-free cookies, pumpkin, pumpkin cookies
Grain-Free Pumpkin Cookies with Marshmallow “Frosting”
Posted on

The 52 New Foods Challenge – Pumpkin

It’s not surprising that I love pumpkin, it seems like most people do. However, I’m not a fan of pumpkin flavoring. I’ll be honest, that stuff is crap, and I avoid crap like the plague. So that means no Pumpkin Spice Latte or any of the other pumpkin flavored BS out there in the stores. I know, some of you are probably hating me right now. You’re entitled to your love of whatever you want, but just be real with yourself as to what’s in it and what effect it has on your body.

I like pumpkin savory dishes as well as pumpkin sweet things. We had the MOST EPIC pumpkin and seafood soup on our Honeymoon in Puerto Rico. I have made a few attempts to recreate the soup, but haven’t been able to do so. I LOVE pumpkin curry from Jasmine Thai, our local joint. My favorite sweet pumpkin treat surprisingly isn’t pumpkin pie. I KNOW! I have a recipe for pumpkin cookies that is AMAZING! So bread-like and scrumdiddlyumptious. I’m in the process of trying to paleo-ify the recipe. STAY TUNED!

Jennifer Tyler Lee recommends pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie with a ginger spiced crust, and roasted pumpkin seeds with two different flavor profiles. I should also say I’m a huge sucker for homemade pumpkin seeds. It’s like crack to me.

Food Facts:

  • Member of the cucurbitaceae family.
  • Because of the thick skin, winter squashes, like pumpkin, can last in cold storage for up to six months.
  • The deep orange coloring is a sign that it contains high levels of beta-carotene, a vitamin A precursor.
  • Of all the winter squashes, pumpkin contains the most beta-carotene.
  • Foods rich in carotenoids, like beta-carotene have been shown to be protective against many cancers, especially lung cancer.
  • Carotenoid rich food is also protective against heart disease and the development of type 2 diabetes.
  • Good source of fiber.
  • Good source of vitamins B1, B5, B6, and C, and folic acid, niacin, potassium, and manganese.
  • Pumpkin has been shown to enhance immune activity in rodent studies.

Sources:

The 52 New Foods Challenge by Jennifer Tyler Lee, Superfoods by Tonia Reinhard, and Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, Joseph Pizzorno, and Lara Pizzorno.

 

Posted on

In Season, in October

October is finally here! I love PUMPKINS more than just about anything, so I am a excited that October is upon us. I’m not a PSL (pumpkin spice latte) girl, actually I don’t even drink coffee. I don’t like artificially flavored things, so even if I drank coffee, you couldn’t get me near it (no judgements if you are a PSL person)! With that said I do love to bake and cook with pumpkin puree. 

My other favorite on this list is butternut squash. I’ll be posting my favorite butternut squash soup recipe soon. Keep your eyes peeled! What’s your favorite thing on the list?

Hugs & Health (and Pumpkins too!) <3

Katie

 

 

Posted on

In Season, in November

A new month is here and with it comes new fruits and veggies.  My favorite item on this list is Brussels sprouts. I could eat them nearly everyday. My other favorites on this list are Pears, Winter Squash, and Radishes.

I love roasting radishes with butter – they taste just like roasted new potatoes (a great alternative for those avoiding nightshades!).  What’s your favorite thing on the list?

Hugs & Health <3

Katie