Happy Fri-YAY! Guess who FINALLY decided to show up......FALL!!! I'm already freezing! It's going to be a long cold season for me..LOL! Anyways, I am rounding out my Pumpkin Week with a bunch of recipes highlighting this fall favorite that's perfect for cozy weather. I love pumpkins because they are so versitile....from sweet to savory, there are just so many delicious dishes to come up with! Like I was saying earlier this week, I went to the Dekalb Farmers Market and picked up one decent sized pumpkin and from that one I have made about 5-6 yummy dishes and I'm even coming up with more! In case you have been sleeping on this deliciousness, I am sharing some ideas you can do with pumpkins in the kitchen.....besides just pumpkin pies!
Here is the pumpkin that I purchased this weekend. It wasn't the biggest of the bunch but BIG enough for me! I had some pretty large plans for this pumpkin and I didn't make one pie. Confession: I prefer sweet potato pie over pumpkin pie.....am I the only one!
The first thing to do was to get this bad boy all cut up so the cooking could begin! I cut cubes and wedges to use for later. And don't forget to save the seeds!! We're enjoying those too!
The first pumpkin dish I'm sharing is perfect for that cold night when you want to cozzy up next to the fire. Pumpkin Bean Chilli! It's really simple to make ahead and tastes even better as leftovers. I was a little heavy on the chilli spices but it warmed me right up!
Heres what you will need for the PUMPKIN Bean Chilli:
-kidney beans
-black beans
-onion powder
-garlic powder
-salt
-cumin
-dried parsley
-chipotle powder
-smoked paprika
-PUMPKIN (uncooked, cubed)
-PUMPKIN puree
-tomatoes (whole, peeled)
-tomato paste
-tomato sauce
If you've noticed, I haven't listed any measurements.....and that's because I don't use any! I am really a big fan of tasting my dishes along the way and making adjustments according to my taste buds. Once I broke away from following exact measurements, my cooking elevated to a whole other level of deliciousness! You should give it a try! This chilli came out so good! You almost don't even know that there's pumpkin in it.....which is a great way to sneak in some extra veggies without making a big fuss! For all the people who love a visual....here is a video of how I put together this spicy PUMPKIN Bean Chilli!
After I broke down the pumpkin and cubed it I put some to the side to make a PUMPKIN Butter. If you've been following my food journey you will notice that I enjoy making sweet spreads that are processed sugar free. I made a PUMPKIN Butter using the same method as my Butternut Squash/Sweet Potato Butter, If you missed it....CLICK HERE to see how it's done!
This yummy "butter" will now be the base of some sweet snacks later on... Starting with the PUMPKIN Granola! I have made granola before so I didn't make another video. You can watch how I put together the Almond Cinnamon Granola here for a basic recipe.....which is pretty much the start to this PUMPKIN version I am sharing today....The only thing I did additional was to add a couple of scoops of the PUMPKIN Butter to my honey/coconut mixture before I mixed everything up and put it in the oven.
Sooooooooooooo good!!!! Nothing beats a homemade granola because you can pretty much toss in anything you like and it's going to be good! I don't eat processed sugars so I sweetened mine with honey.....but you can also use agave nectar, pure maple or even date syrup. Switch it up....try something different, your body will thank you!
Next I made Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms & PUMPKIN
and when I tell you this was SUPER good.....that's an understatement! It's also really easy to make. First I cubed and roasted some pumpkin and used that to go into the sauce. The secret to a really flavorful chicken is to first season it up and let it hang out in the fridge for a couple of hours. When it was time to cook the chicken, I removed it from the refrigerator and let it sit out for about 15 minutes to shake some of the cold off. I feel like the chicken cooks more consistently that way. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake with it covered with foil. The last 15-20 minutes of cooking the chicken is when I started to work on the sauce. YUMMY! Here's a short video of how I pulled this dish together.
Finally, I ended this PUMPKIN love affair with a dessert that made me just sit back and reflect on how AWESOME our Creator is for blessing us with so many delicious natural foods. To be able to transform one ingredient into an unlimited number of dishes that spoil our tastebuds is such a blessing! I was oh so greedy to satisfy my sweet tooth that I didn't record my process. But I will be making this sweetness again, and I will be sure to share it with you all!! For now I will tempt you with some pictures of my Mini Oatmeal PUMPKIN Cream Pies and Holiday Chai Tea topped with PUMPKIN Spiced whipped cream! There are so many delicious flavors, I can't wait to make it again. You just can't go wrong with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla tea, allspice, PUMPKIN, cashew milk, honey.......oh you guys! I think I am going to do a spiked version next time.....Stay Tuned!
So I would say that PUMPKIN week was a HUGE success!!!! If you don't usually think of PUMPKINS during this time.... I hope that I have been able to inspire you! I love to mix things up in the kitchen and my family loves being my taste testers! They enjoyed everything.....which makes me so happy! If you decide to give any of these dishes a try for yourself, I would love to hear how yours turns out! Be sure to takes lots of pictures and share with us on Facebook & Instagram using #PUMPKINLOVE!
If you enjoyed these recipes.....check out some of my other dishes on our YouTube Channel!
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