Pumpkin Snackers

If you walk into any type of retailer, it is all about Christmas. I was surprised to find these pumpkin seed snacker crackers from Doctor Kracker. This brand makes their crackers with lots of different seeds and nuts. They are organic and have lots of protein and whole grains, but be warned they are super crunchy. (You should probably not eat these in a library because they are super loud). They're really great for dips because they are super sturdy crackers. These had pumpkin seeds and some cheddar in them. Plus they aren't just another plain, bland and boring cracker. If you are looking for a different cracker, than these might be the ones for you. They also have Klassic 3 Seed and Seedlander so if you can't find the pumpkin seed cheddar be sure to try these other varieties. These would be great with the baked Brie I recently made.

(Almost Paleo) Pumpkin Bread

I am always up for a new recipe and this paleo pumpkin bread recipe sounded delicious. However, we turned it into a non paleo recipe since my friend doesn't like bananas and I didn't have coconut flour. Though it's not paleo it's still a healthy option to satisfy your sweet tooth. This is a melt in your mouth bread that may look like it 's not done because it's so moist. The flavor is pumpkiny and full of fall spice. When I took the bread out of the oven it was wonderful loaf, but then five minutes later I came back and the bread had fallen and cracked. Though I was disappointed that it wasn't as visually appealing as it tasted, I was glad that it tasted delicious.

Ingredients:

1 cup almond butter
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1/4 cup honey (1 banana)
2 eggs, whisked
2 chai tea packets
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour (coconut flour)
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
                                                             1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
                                                             1/2 teaspoon baking soda
                                                             1/2 teaspoon baking powder
                                                             pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix together the almond butter, pumpkin, applesauce and eggs. 

Add the tea to the mixture to the almond butter mixture. Then add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, baking powder and baking soda.

 Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 40 minutes. (Note*: The bread will probably fall and it might crack but if you insert a toothpick into the bread and it comes out clean then it's done.) You can serve this with some coffee ice cream or a squeeze of whipped cream for a perfect fall dessert.

Pumpkin Hummus

'Tis the season for pumpkin and why I didn't think to combine it with hummus is beyond me. However, when I found this recipe I knew I needed to try it. This spicy and creamy hummus is a combination of chick peas and white beans which creates a richer hummus. The toasted pumpkin seeds adds a nice textural element to the hummus and depth of flavor. This is a perfect pre-Thanksgiving appetizer that will definitely keep everyone around the table. Plus it's super simple to make, but it's getting the consistency that's the trick. The flavors of fall are mixed into this simple dish making it a shining star on your table.

Ingredients:

1 14 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 14 oz can of white beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup lime juice
1 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
                                                             1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Directions:

 Place the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400 for 6 minutes. Be very careful as they can burn really quickly. When the seeds are a nice golden brown and have a nutty aroma, they are ready.

 

Drain and rinse the chick peas and white beans.

Add all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend on low until the hummus reaches a smooth and creamy consistency. Before serving sprinkle a few of the toasted pumpkin seeds on top of the hummus. Serve with fresh veggies or pita chips or use it as a yummy sandwich spread.

Crock Pot Pumpkin Breakfast Quinoa

I love quinoa because you can do so much with it. However, I have never made a sweet recipe. I have had breakfast quinoa dish before and it was super tasty and filling, so I decided that I wanted to find a breakfast quinoa recipe. So I headed on over to Pinterest to see what I could find. I was so excited when I found this recipe from The Lovely Vegan Mama for pumpkin breakfast quinoa. I was even more excited when I realized that I happened to have all the ingredients on hand! That rarely happens so I got to work making this right away. Plus I got to use my crock pot which is always exciting. Putting everything and having it smell amazing is definitely something I can do. This is a great fall breakfast and the protein packed quinoa will keep you feeling full and ready for the day.

Ingredients:

2 cups quinoa, uncooked
8 cups almond milk, unsweetened
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup maple syrup or agave (I used a combination of both)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
coconut oil spray

Directions:

Spray the crock pot thoroughly with coconut oil. You don't want to deal with trying to scrape any of the baked on quinoa off the bowl. Add the quinoa, almond milk, canned pumpkin, maple syrup or agave, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice to the pot.

Stir together to make sure that everything is combined. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, depending on your consistency preference. It will smell delicious, I promise. You can served with dried cranberries, raisins, walnuts or bananas and you are on your way to a power packed breakfast.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Balls

I try to avoid sweets recipes, but with it being the season of pumpkins and having the holidays right around the corner, it's been very difficult. However, when I saw this article about pumpkin spice cake balls I just couldn't pass this up. I am a sucker for all things pumpkin and I have never made cake balls before so I decided that it was time to give them a try. These little nuggets of pumpkin goodness are mixed with cream cheese icing and dipped in vanilla coating. These have a beautiful color and are moist and decadent....which is a good thing because you can't eat a lot in one sitting so it helps with moderation. As long as you have a cake and icing, you can make any kind of cake ball.

Ingredients:

1 package carrot cake mix (Note*: the recipe called for a spice cake mix, but I couldn't find it so I used the next best option)
1 15 oz can of pumpkin (Note*: not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup water
1 egg
1 tub of cream cheese frosting
1 package of vanilla coating (Note*: the recipe called for almond bark, but I couldn't find any so I used the vanilla coating)

Directions:

 In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, pumpkin, water and egg together. Pour the batter into a 13 x 9 glass pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Follow the directions on the cake mix box to make the cake. 

Let the cake cool completely and then crumble it into a large bowl. Mix the tub of cream cheese icing with the crumbled cake. 

Refrigerator the mixture for at least an hour. I refrigerated mine overnight, but I covered it with plastic wrap and then tin foil so that it wouldn't dry out.

Melt the coating according to the directions on the package. Then using a cookie scoop or tablespoon roll the cake into balls. Then dip into the coating. Place the covered cake balls on a parchment lined baking sheet to harden. I used a spoon to make sure that it was entirely covered and then used two toothpicks to get it out of the coating.

 I haven't mastered how to cover the cake balls so that you can't see where the toothpicks were. I will definitely need to work on my coating skills, but they weren't terrible for the first time. These aren't hard to make they are just a bit time consuming. Making these would be a really fun activity for girls night or a holiday get together. I can't wait to try some fun and festive holiday flavors...maybe peppermint?

Pumpkin Pie Bagel

Pumpkin is the special at any food establishment you go to these days and Panera Bread is no exception. I happened to be passing by on my morning walk and remembered that I had a coupon for a free cup of coffee. I do enjoy their hazelnut coffee and decided to pop in and grab a cup. While I was in there, I saw the pumpkin pie bagel and decided that I should give it a try. (I have been trying really hard to all the pumpkin stuff, even though it kills me at times.) This bagel, which was more like a large flat donut because there was no hole in the middle, was full of cinnamon and nutmeg flavors with cranberries mixed it. There was a cinnamon crunch topping that added a little bit of texture to the bagel and a very light dusting of powdered sugar. I got even more festive and put some of my pumpkin butter on it to add an extra dose of pumpkin. The bagel wasn't too sweet and would be perfect with some fresh coffee and the morning news. Be sure to stop in to Panera Bread to try this before it's gone!

Ace Pumpkin Cider

I am not a huge beer lover (though I am trying to work on it by forcing myself to experiment), so usually the closest I am to beer is hard cider. The fall makes me want to try more beer since there are lots of flavors like apple cinnamon and pumpkin. While strolling along the aisles of HEB, I happened to get stuck at an endcap display in traffic and happened to glance at what was next to me. Thank goodness that I looked since it got me really excited. It was pumpkin Ace. Ace has a few different varieties like apple and pear, but I have never seen this before. This was either going to be gross or really good. Apple and pumpkin seem like an unlikely combination, but let me tell you that it definitely worked! The apple notes are the first thing you taste and then it transitions into a mellow pumpkin pie flavor without being sweet. I'm sure that doesn't make much sense, but I think that pumpkin cider (or beer) is something that you have to taste because it's a bit hard to describe. If you aren't a huge beer person, but want to get in on the fall flavors, this is a great option to try. Grab some and cheers to the beginning of fall.

Crock Pot Pumpkin Butter

During the fall, it seems that different "butters" start to become popular. Just to clarify, this doesn't actually have any butter in it. I think that the name comes from the similarity in consistency, but not in the ingredients. I haven't really tried many of these, let alone made one so I figured now was as good a time as any to try to make one. We all know it's now the season of pumpkin recipes so I decided to get on the boat and trying making a pumpkin butter. I am try to make more use of my crock pot (because the idea of throwing some ingredients together in a pot and then leaving it alone is very appealing) and it's a slightly underrated kitchen appliance. This couldn't be easier to make and it a great hostess gift as well. It makes a huge amount so you can definitely share and still have some to enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 15 oz can of pumpkin

1/2 cup low-sugar apple juice

3/4 cup brown sugar (the original recipe called for granulated sugar)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low for about 5 hours. Make sure that you occasionally stir the butter to prevent it from getting too brown. The butter will be done when you can turn a spoon upside down and the butter stays.

Put the butter in containers and let it cool completely in the refrigerator. It will last about a week in the frig and up to 6 months in the freezer. I left some out to use immediately and then froze the rest in smaller containers. That way when I run out, I can pull out some more for a few days without it going bad.

Fall at Dunkin' Donuts

Even though the North is my hometown, I am slightly ashamed to say that have never had Dunkin' Donuts before. I am not quite sure why that never happened, but never fear I finally rectified that situation! During a series of interesting events, I found myself at a Dunkin' Donuts. Apparently, their coffee is delicious and rated better than Starbucks. I decided that I was going to make the comparison simple and just do a plain coffee test. I ordered a cup of the regular coffee and found that is had a smoother, less bitter taste than some of the black Starbucks coffee I have had. I however did not like that they did not have sleeves for their cups as it was a very hot beverage. It also felt like the cups were a bit flimsy since the top ended up popping off my cup and spilled down my leg. Between that and the coffee, itself I was fully awake and functioning. I have to admit it was a strong contender to Starbucks coffee, but in order to make a final call I think I would need to do a flavored drink test.

What was an even better pleasant surprise was that they had pumpkin munchkins! Munchkins are what they call donut holes, which if you ask me is a much cuter name. These were the cake donuts (which I was even more excited about) and the glaze wasn't too overly sweet. They were pretty dense and had a brilliant orange color with tons of fall spices in the donut batter. They weren't super crumbly, so they were easy to eat without making a huge mess. It had a good pumpkin flavor without being too artificial since I am sure they aren't using fresh pumpkin. I guess it's probably a good thing, I am not close to a Dunkin Donuts since I probably shouldn't be eating a lot of these little munchkins.

Dunkin' Donuts doesn't just serve donuts, they also serve breakfast sandwiches, regular sandwiches and muffins. Of course, the muffin of choice would be pumpkin since it's that time of year. The muffin had a coffee cake topping with an icing drizzle. The color of the muffin was slightly more yellow than the donut holes which was interesting. It had a similar flavor, but was a bit different though I couldn't put my finger on what made it different. The muffin had a light and crumbly texture and the crunchy coffee cake topping was a nice contrast. Whether you are looking for a donut or muffin, these two pumpkin treats were pretty good so if you are close to a Dunkin' Donuts be sure to try them before they are all gone.

Pumpkin Perfection

I have gradually moved away from ice cream and become an avid gelato lover. However, the pumpkin ice cream from Trader Joe's made me stop and think. It is silky smooth, creamy, rich, and dreamy. The pumpkin flavor isn't artificial tasting and is complimented perfectly with cinnamon and nutmeg. It is tastes exactly like the pumpkin pie, but doesn't make you feel super full afterward. The pumpkin is present, but not overwhelming and the spices make you feel warm and cozy. This is definitely a decadent ice cream, but so yummy and definitely something you don't want to miss out on! Make sure you stock up on this seasonal flavor. Plus, it would be perfect to serve at Thanksgiving and who doesn't love a super easy dessert?! Be sure to pick some up today!

Soft Pumpkin Spice Iced Cookies

I know it's been a while since I have posted about pumpkin (and I am sure some of you are really excited about that), but I figured that I better get back to the pumpkin before it's too late. The shopping centers have already put up the Christmas decorations and the countdown to the holidays has begun. I found this great recipe on Pinterest from The Baker Chick for soft frosted pumpkin spice cookies. The recipe looked pretty easy and the cinnamon cream cheese frosting sounded amazing. You can find the original recipe here or on Pinterest. I have never made a pumpkin cookie and figured that this would be a great one to try. They came together very quickly and made enough to share.

You should have most of the ingredients on hand, expect for maybe the pumpkin and some of the spices. Mix together all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, then add in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Add in the dry ingredients and then drop onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes.While the cookies bake and cool, make the icing.

The interesting thing about this icing is that there is no liquid. It is only butter, cream cheese (I used non fat), powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Cream together butter and cream cheese. Then add in powdered sugar until thick and creamy. Finish by adding in the cinnamon and vanilla. However, mine got a bit too thin, so I ended up frosting my cookies twice (maybe it was because I used the non fat cream cheese, though I am not sure). I let the first layer harden and then added a second layer of icing. Even though, my icing turned out more like a glaze, the cookies still turned out very well. They weren't overly sweet, had a great pumpkin flavor that was highlighted with fall spices, and everything came together with the icing.

These were so delicious! They really were soft and fluffy on the inside, but they didn't get soggy. Since they made so many, I decided to share most of them and got rave reviews. I would say that this cookie is definitely going to be making another appearance and may even become the cookie that I always have on hand. These are a super quick and easy cookie that you can go to whenever you need to whip up a quick dessert. Make sure you try these because you won't be disappointed. Enjoy these pumpkin delights!

Pecan Pumpkin Perfection

So you know it's about to be the holidays when... restaurants start bringing out the seasonal menu items. I was so excited when I saw that The Cheesecake Factory was serving the pumpkin cheesecake and the pecan pumpkin cheesecake! I decided to go for the pecan pumpkin cheesecake which is a combination of pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and cheesecake. The bottom layer is a graham crust and then the gooey caramel pecan pie filling. It isn't overly sweet and balances well with the pumpkin. The top layer is a light, fluffy pumpkin cheesecake. It has a great pumpkin flavor that is laced with cinnamon and nutmeg. The sweeter pecan layer adds depth to the pumpkin cheesecake and the pecans add crunch and texture. This really is the best of both worlds, so you never have to choose between pumpkin and pecan pie. So hurry on into The Cheesecake Factory and grab a slice before it's gone! 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownie Bars

It's obviously the onset of fall with all these pumpkin recipes that I have been posting about recently, but I can't seem to get enough of them. I would suggest keeping a can of pumpkin on hand at all times during this season...you never know when you will need it. Besides then you will avoid the rush of everyone wanting pumpkin closer to Thanksgiving and then finding out it is all gone when you get to the store. This recipe came from Pennies on a Platter via another one of my Pinterest sessions. I love the good old chocolate chip cookie, but throw in some pumpkin and what's not to love about that. I also have to say that this recipe literally takes no more than an hour from start to finish, including washing dishes. I know you are skeptical because there are lots of recipes that say that they only take 30 minutes, but what they really mean is 30 minutes of preparation time. I promise you these are beyond super simple and you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. The unique thing about these is that they have a subtle spice flavor because of the nutmeg and allspice. It works really well with the pumpkin and the chocolate adds the chocolate flavor that few can resist.

There are five steps to this process. Preheat oven and prepare pan. Mix wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients. Mix the two together and add chocolate chips. Pour into the pan to bake. The wet ingredients are 1/2 cup of pumpkin, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, and 1 tbsp canola oil. The dry ingredients are 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cocoa, 2/3 cups packed brown sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp allspice. Once all the ingredients are mixed together, add in the chocolate chips. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup, however, I don't think you can go wrong with too many, so I added more along the lines of 1 cup. The batter will be pretty easy to get into the parchment lined pan. The only issue I ran into was that I didn't have an 11 x 7 pan, so I used a 13 x 9 pan. This made them a little thinner then normal. I also made them in a 9 x 9 pan and found the 9 x 9 pan make thicker, cakier brownies. I guess it really just depends on what you want. Bake for 10-15 minutes and let them cool. Then slice and enjoy. Once you bite into them, you get the notes of spice and pumpkin and then the chocolate flavor. These are a great twist on a traditional chocolate chip cookie. Though mine didn't end up looking like the picture in the original recipe, they were very yummy. Since Halloween is just around the corner and these are pretty festive, I decided that I will be using these in my goodies bags this year. It will be something different from the usual store bought candy. So whip yourself up a batch of these and cozy up with your favorite book!