Pumpkin Protein Smoothie Bowl

When I discovered the Smoothie Bowl locally at The Juice Bar, it was love at first bite! 

This is the first year for me to create a pumpkin version. It's pumpkiny, bananay and full of whole food goodness -including half an avocado- to satiate my hunger until a late lunch. And, this recipe fits into a Paleo or KETO. If you're strict, leave out the pitted date.

It's good even without my preferred protein enhancements from Ancient Nutrition! But why miss an opportunity to bless your body? 

A quick note about my protein choices. The Multi Collagen Protein earns a WOWZERS from me, because it mixes into beverages and recipes without a weird texture or grit. Basically, it dissolves which means it's easily absorbed into your gut to work its magic! Collagen is not vegan. However, I prefer a plant-based protein powder for the taste, which is why I choose Plant Protein+ Vegan Superfood Protein Powder. Try both for yourself. (if the code doesn't pop up, email me for a special code). While other flavors are available, vanilla is my go-to, because I can make it work with all kinds of fruits, coffee, and extracts!

Here it is, my first-ever...

PUMPKIN PROTEIN SMOOTHIE BOWL

Into a food processor or blender...

• 3/4 to 1 cup Unsweetened "Milk" (your choice, I used almond)
• 1/2 cup+ 100% Pumpkin Puree' (Libby's will do, not the pumpkin pie mix)
• 1 small frozen Banana (or half of a large frozen banana)
  
• 1/2 large Avocado (or whole small avocado or frozen chunks, healthy fat)
• 1 pitted Date (added for depth of flavor sweetness)
• 1 scoop Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen Protein
• 1 scoop Ancient Nutrition Plant Protein+ Powder
• 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Spice (I make my own bc I like extra nutmeg)

Toppings...

• Dollop of Almond Butter
• Crockpot Pumpkin Spice Trail Mix
• Extra Pumpkin Seeds

You can totally use your own protein powder and your own cooked pumpkin! Now, Go Play with Your Food and let me know how it turned out!

"Sam"

Crockpot Pumpkin Spice Trail Mix

Our family enjoys meals from the crockpot just about twice, each week. With a busy schedule and me being the primary menu planner and prepper, our slow cooker gets quite a workout from soups to beans, from meats to broths and even the occasional breakfast. Around the holidays, we love hot wassail, a hot beverage of apple cider, cinnamon, cloves, orange and pineapple juices!

Around 3pm when my tummy starts feeling empty, I typically open a pack of nuts or seeds or something whole food to fill that gnawing void until dinner. When I discovered I could "roast" trail mix in the crockpot, I knew it had to be part of my yearly 31 days of #PunkinChunkin! 

Trail mix is really about preference. What do you like in your mix? This is a basic "roasted" recipe. You may like different nuts or may want to add m&m's or raisins to your end result!

CROCKPOT PUMPKIN SPICE TRAIL MIX

Into the crockpot...

• 2 1/2 cups Coarse Chopped Walnuts
• 
  2/3 cup Raw Cashews (not already roasted and salted)
• 1/2 cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds (not already roasted and salted)

Mix separately...

• 1/4 cup Coconut Palm Sugar (it's a rusty brown color and not super sweet)
  
  
• 2-3 tablespoons Coconut Oil, melted
• 1-2 tablespoons Pumpkin Spice (make your own or not)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  
• opt: 1-2 droppers or squirts SweetLeaf Stevia Sweet Drops - Pumpkin Spice

Save to stir-in after trail mix has cooled...

• 1 handful (about 1 cup) Dried Unsweetened Cranberries
• 1 handful (about 1 cup) Lily's Baking Chips - Dark Chocolate (or whichever flavor you prefer)

Directions...

• Put all the nuts and seeds in crockpot
• Separately, melt coconut oil and mix with the coconut sugar, spices, vanilla and stevia, THEN, pour over nuts and seeds. Mix until well coated
• Turn crockpot to high
• Set your timer to :30 minutes. <ding> Stir.
• Reset your timer to :30 minutes. <ding> Stir, again. This time, observe with eyes and nose for the "roasted" color and smell. You don't want the nuts to scorch. 
• Note: If you have an older crockpot, you may want to add :15 to :30 additional minutes, watching and smelling and stirring to prevent scorching
• When the mix is to your desired color and "roast," spoon our turn onto parchment paper to cool. This will happen fairly quickly. The parchment will serve as a tool, later!
• Once cooled, lift the sides of the parchment turning it into a "funnel" to pour the trail mix
  into a large bowl
• Stir-in cranberries and chocolate chips until well coated and mixed

Eat by the handful or over yogurt! Store in airtight baggie or container. Remember, this is basic "roasted." Before you edit, decide if the ingredient can endure the heat of the crockpot or if the ingredient needs to be stirred-in after cooling. 

Also, this recipe is gluten-free and sugar-free, but easily adapted for your taste.
Why YES, I am working on a savory, spicy version! 

Now, GO PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD and let me know how it turned out!

"Sam"

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup with Pumpkin

The light yellow is the cubed pumpkin

In 2020, my friend Tracy was participating in #CROCKtober by preparing her family's
meals in the crockpot all October. As it would happen, Momma Mary and I had a hunger for wild rice and had cubed pumpkin and homemade chicken broth begging to be used which meant, I created a quick crockpot recipe for Tracy and our household.

Into the crockpot went easy ingredients and out came a savory, makes-the-world-right soup. BUT, this is a new year to change up that recipe...so, I made it creamy!

CREAMY CHICKEN & WILD RICE SOUP with PUMPKIN

Into the crockpot:

1-2 Onions, diced

Several Carrots, sliced like coins

1-2 Garlic cloves, minced

2-3 Celery ribs, diced

2-3 cups Pumpkin, cubed (or cook separately, see sidenote, below)

1-2 cups Wild Rice blend

10-12 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth (easily edited to turkey broth after Thanksgiving)

2-3 cups Chicken (omit for vegan version or use turkey after Thanksgiving)

salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, fresh sage, fresh thyme

1-2 8 ozs blocks Cream Cheese (Miyoko's Creamery makes a wonderful vegan cream cheese found at our local Publix grocery store or online)

• 
  Place all ingredients in your crockpot -not the cream cheese which you'll save for just before serving- 
• Turn to Medium for an all-day or overnight slow cook -or- shorten the cooking time by dialing up to High until all ingredients are cooked and the house smells yummy!
• Just before serving, remove 2 cups of broth from your crockpot and ladel into your blender with the block(s) of cream cheese. Blend until smooth.
• Pour the zipped-down cream cheese broth mixture into the crockpot and stir to incorporate.
• Ladel into soup bowls and enjoy!

Here's a sidenote: If your family is not crazy about pumpkin, no worries. Either strike from the recipe -or- in a separate small pot, add the cubed pumpkin and your choice of broth just until covered and gently boil until soft. When the soup is ready to be served, spoon the cooked pumpkin into the bowl and ladel soup over it!

This recipe is good for your tummy and your soul, but don't take my word for it. Go Play with Your Food and let me know how it turned out...

"Sam"

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

It's hard to believe I can say I've made a recipe for "decades," but that's the case with Pumpkin Crunch. Every pumpkin season I look forward to this autumnal treat. However, after being diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroid Disease (a word I prefer not to use), I wondered if it could be made to be healthier and non-inflammatory. The answer is yes!

My friend, Jeanene, who is a Trim Healthy Mama Lifestyle Coach, sent me a recipe from one of her friends! It's really good as is, but as you may have read in previous recipes -- I play with my food and did an edit. If I were better adept at cooking without eggs, this could have easily been vegan. I kept the eggs in the recipe, but changed other ingredients and noted them below.

Even if thyroid issues aren't in your life, you'll appreciate this being a healthier, sugar-free, gluten-free version for your family that actually tastes great!

PUMPKIN CRUMB CAKE (or Pumpkin Crunch) for those who want to cut the sugar and gluten

Cake Bottom Filling Ingredients:

• 
  3/4 cup Half and Half (I used Califia Pumpkin Spice Almond & Coconut Milk Creamer from the grocery store because it already had the spices and was a new product, this year)
• 2 cups 100 % Pure Pumpkin (not the pie filling)
• 3 large Eggs
• 1 cup Monkfruit (I used Lakanto White)
• 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 2 pinches Mineral Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum (don't be afraid of this stuff. it's a thickener that works like magic without adding to your glycemic index --meaning it won't raise your blood sugar like corn starch!)

Crumble/Crunch Topping Ingredients:

• 1 cup Gluten-Free Baking Blend (I used Trim Healthy Mama, but others are available at the store)
• 1 1/2 cups Chopped Pecans
• 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice (you can make your own)
• 2 pinches Mineral Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 3/4 cup Monkfruit (I used Lakanto Golden)
• 1 stick of Melted Butter (Miyoko's Creamery Butter is a wonderful vegan substitute which would have made this recipe dairy-free)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350*
• Grease 9x13 (or slightly smaller) casserole dish
• Mix Bottom ingredients, together, and spread evenly in dish
• Mix Topping ingredients, together, and sprinkle over the pumpkin bottom filling
• Pour melted butter evenly over the topping
• Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour until center is set and topping light brown
• Enjoy!

These newer ingredients may seem intimidating, but they are not. They're simple substitutes for the others. Now, go play with your food and let me know how it turned out...

"Sam"

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Mixing up your own batch of PUMPKIN PIE SPICE is easy as ...well, as easy as pie. 

I reuse the container from years ago to store the mixed spices, because it’s already labeled! Too easy.

After you make a batch, then you can do all kinds of recipes with your homemade PS like a home-brewed PSL or an actual pumpkin pie!

What is pumpkin pie spice? 

It's a mixture of the following spices in increments that you prefer:

Ground Cinnamon
Ground Cloves

Ground Nutmeg (I prefer to grate my own from the whole nutmeg seed, available from McCorkmick in the spice and seasonings aisle at the grocery)

Ground Alspice
Optionally, Ground Ginger (my preference)

• 
  Start with 3 tablespoons of cinnamon. Then, mix it to your taste by adding in teaspoon measurements and tasting or smelling. Add more of the flavor, like cinnamon, if that’s what YOU like! I go a little heavy on the nutmeg, because it's my fave for the holidays! The way I like it is freshly microplaned! (Pictured)

My friend, Jani, showed me how her family enjoys crisp apples. She takes cinnamon and sliced apples, tosses together and chills! The only sweetness is from the apple! I decided this could be done, instead, using the homemade pumpkin pie spice — it works for me! 

Go Play with Your Food and let me know how it goes for you...

"Sam"

Dessert Pumpkin Hummus

Savory & Dessert Pumpkin Hummus

I remember a number of years ago when I spotted a chocolate brownie dessert hummus at the grocery store. This foodie heart fell in love! 

If you're a pumpkin pie lover, you may fall in love with this pumpkiny, protein-packed, sugar-free goodness! Traditional hummus uses olive oil and tahini. This recipe uses peanut butter to serve as both!

It really takes a food processor or a fancy-schmancy blender to make hummus.

DESSERT PUMPKIN HUMMUS

1 15 oz can Chickpeas

1/2 cup creamy unsweetened Peanut Butter (I prefer Skippy No Sugar Added)

1/3 cup Maple Syrup (your choice, 100% or sugar-free)

1/3 cup 100% Pure Pumpkin (puree or pack - not pie filling)

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice (make your own!)

pinch of salt

1/2 cup mini or regular dark chocolate chips (I prefer Lily's Dark Chocolate Chips)

opt. 1 scoop Vanilla Multi Collagen Protein (I prefer Ancient Nutrition)

• Combine all ingredients except for the chocolate chips into the food processor
  
• Pulse until smooth. You may need to scrape down the bowl occasionally 
• Transfer to a different bowl or container to fold in the chocolate chips
• 
  Chill in air-tight container in the fridge until ready to serve with apple slices, vanilla wafers or graham crackers

That's it! Easy-chickpeasy! Go play with your food and let me know how it turned out...

"Sam"

Tuesday Recipe: Pumpkin, Bean and Chicken Enchiladas

Once again, my skepticism with a pumpkin recipe impacting one of my fave genres of food turns to OH MY GOODNESS! THIS WORKS!

Hubby & I love TexMex! We could eat it 3, 4, 5 times a week! So, when somebody wants to mess with it, we're like, "Naw." But, this is #PunkinChunkin month when I like to try a pumpkin or pumpkin pie spice twist on sweet and savory dishes. Better Homes & Gardens Special Interest Publications issued the PUMPKIN edition for America's pumpkin addiction

After reading several articles online about the ancient Hispanic culture and the pumpkin, I figured the two have made a beautiful life, together. Who was I to think my Mexican food and my orange squash don't work in the same recipe?

I used a blend of the cute little Sugar Pie Pumpkin and the Japanese Kabocha Pumpkin to measure enough cooked pumpkin for this recipe. The Kabocha is a brighter, sweeter flavor -in my opinion- compliments the cumin seasoning, fresh cilantro and soft corn tortillas! It just works!

Pumpkin, Bean & Chicken Enchiladas

2-4 tsp Olive Oil (enough to sauté onion and jalapeño)
1 small Onion, chopped
1-2 Jalapeños, seeded & finely chopped
1 3/4 cups Cooked Pumpkin -OR- 1 (15 oz) can 100% Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/2 cups Water
1-2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp ground Cumin

1 can Black Beans or Kidney Beans, rinsed & drained & smooshed!
2 Chicken Breasts, cooked & shredded -OR- 2 cans of (12.5 oz) Chicken Breast
1/2 cup shredded Cheese (your preferred)
Cilantro, chopped
6-8 Corn Tortillas, softened in microwave 30 seconds between paper towels) I purchased the "Super Soft" White Corn Tortillas at Walmart and bypassed the microwave.

• Heat oven to 400*. Lightly coat square/rectangle baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• In medium skillet, heat onion and sauté onions & jalapeños until tender and onions are opaque.
• Stir in pumpkin and water, chili powder, cumin and heat through. If needed, add enough water (up to 1/4 cup) to your desired consistency. 
• 
  
• While this mixture is heating...Turn beans (already rinsed & drained) into a large bowl and slightly smoosh with the back of a fork.
• Add HALF of the pumpkin mixture, all the chicken and cheese and cilantro. Reserve the other HALF of pumpkin mixture to pour over the tortilla rolls, once assembled.
• 
  
• Assemble tortillas: Onto a soft(ened) tortilla, spoon about 1/3 cup bean, pumpkin & chicken mixture; roll up tortillas and place seam sides down in prepped baking dish. Pour the remaining half of pumpkin mixture over all of the assembled tortillas. COVER DISH with lid or foil.
• 
  
• Bake, covered, 15 minutes. The lid or foil keeps the tortillas and pumpkin mixture
  
  from drying out.
• Sprinkle with additional cheese, if desired, and Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes more or until heated through.
• Serve with extra cilantro, salsa or limes.

Note: I thinned the left-over filling with a little of the pumpkin mixture and poured into an oven-safe dish coated with non-stick spray. Then, topped with the remaining pumpkin mixture and crunched up tortilla chips on top with extra cheese. Made a great TexMex Lunch Bowl for later!

GO PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD! 

I'd love to hear how your enchiladas turned out and what you thought of them or how you changed the recipe to make it your own!

Tuesday Recipe: Crockpot Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Talk about easy! Sometimes, I am skeptical and ditch a recipe before I ever attempt it, because the results seem puffed. The results -taste & texture- were not puffed with this #PunkinChunkin recipe for #31DaysofPumpkin. In fact, they were right on!

Last year was not short on busyness and we found it necessary to fire up the crockpot for food prep and dinners several times each week. At the onset of the holiday season, I found Better Homes & Gardens Special Interest Publications' Pumpkin Recipes mag with this too-good-to-be-true recipe. Yep, I ditched it thinking there was no way the texture could come out as though baked in an oven.

I was wrong.

This bread is every bit easy. Every bit full of flavor. Every bit oven-baked texture. It takes 2 hours on high. 

One note: I was thinking of making this with blueberries, instead, because I haven't seen fresh cranberries in the grocery store, yet. Then, Momma and I mulled the use of dried cranberries, like Craisins. We rehydrated less than the recipe's measurement of dried cranberries with enough hot water to cover the berries and let stand while I worked on the rest of the recipe and prepared the crockpot. When it was time to add the berries, I drained the water, patted them dry-ish with a few paper towels and referred back to recipe. They worked just fine!

Crockpot / Slow Cooker Pumpkin-Cranberry Bread

2 eggs
3/4 cup Pumpkin Purée (100% canned pumpkin)
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil (I used olive oil.)

1 2/3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Pumpkin "Pie" Spice (You can totally make your own PS.)
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt

3/4 cup Fresh or Frozen (thawed) Cranberries (or refer to the note, above)
1 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour (to coat part of the cranberries)
1/4-1/2 cup Pecans, chopped

• Coat a 4 qt Slow Cooker with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. I would suggest NOT USING the slow cooker/crockpot plastic bag liners, because of the steam issue.
• In first bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin, sugar and oil.
• In second bowl, stir together next four ingredients. 
• Add pumpkin mixture all at once to flour mixture; stir just until dry is combined. Do not over stir.
• Toss 1/2 cup of cranberries with 1 Tbsp flour and fold into batter.
• Spoon batter into prepared crock of your slow cooker (a.k.a. crockpot).
• Top with remainder of cranberries and pecans.
• Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. If possible, lift and half-turn crock insert halfway through cooking. BE CAREFUL WHEN LIFTING LID... do not let steam condensation from lid drip onto bread. Wipe the lid. After the half-turn, cover and continue cooking.
• Bread is done when toothpick comes out clean... 2 hours.
• If possible, remove crock insert from slow cooker and set on wire rack for 10 minutes, uncovered.
• Place a cutting board or plate on top of crock insert and carefully flip crock and plate, together, allowing bread to drop out of crock. THEN, turn bread over onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

NOTE: Do you know why it's necessary to coat part of the cranberries? Whenever you plan to stir-in berries, nuts, or choco chips, you want them to "suspend" in the batter while baking instead of sinking all the way to the bottom and possibly scorching. Just toss the stir-ins in a tablespoon of all-purpose flour and, then, stir into the batter!

GO PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD! I would love to hear how your bread turned out! Lemme know, below...

"Sam"

Tuesday Recipe: Pumpkin Farro Risotto with Roasted Winter Veggies

Last October, I tried this recipe for my yearly #PunkinChunkin / #31DaysofPumpkin from
Vegetarian Ventures and loved it! Of course, I would, because I sub'd in PUMPKIN! One could easily substitute their fave winter root veggies instead of my beloved orange gourd. 
Shelly Westerhausen is a foodie and food photographer with impeccable taste! I look forward to her emails tempting me to get creative in the kitchen! Oh, by the way, she is the genius of two cookbooks on my wish list and both may be purchased on Amazon or other online booksellers. The Platters and Boards book is the current #1 Best Seller and will have you looking like a pro during upcoming holiday entertaining! Check 'em out for yourself after the recipe or scroll to the bottom for your next cookbook!

PUMPKIN FARRO RISOTTO with ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES

For the Roasted Veggies:

• 2 cups Pumpkin and/or winter veggies (carrots, potatoes, beets, sweet potatoes, etc.), chopped or cubed 
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika (I don't know how I lived without this stuff for so long!)
• opt: S&P, to taste

For the Farro:

• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil (+ more for finishing)
• 1 Tbsp Sage Leaves, chopped (+ more for finishing)
• 1 small Onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups Pearled Farro
• 1/4 cups Dry White Wine / Cooking Wine (You can even find this at Walmart)
• 3 cups Water
• 1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree (not the pumpkin "pie")
• 2 Tbsp Hard Cheese (purchase already shredded, vegetarian is another option)
• 1 tsp Thyme, chopped
• opt: S&P, to taste
• opt: Hazelnut Oil (I didn't have this, but don't let that stop you! I suppose, you could actually get creative, here, by adding chopped hazelnuts when toasting the faro or at the end for finishing!)

Instructions for the Roasted Veggies:

• Preheat oven to 375* and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a Silpat.
• Toss veggies in 1 T Olive Oil Smoked Paprika and S&P (salt & pepper) and transfer to the lined baking sheet in an even layer.
• Roast 30 minutes, flipping halfway through or until the veggies are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Remove from oven and set aside.

Instructions for the Farro:

• Heat Olive Oil and Sage over medium heat in a large pan or skillet.
• Add Farro and let toast... watching carefully so as not to scorch... stir often, for 1 minute-ish. (It would be totally creative to toast chopped hazelnuts at this time, too).
• Add Onion and cook until opaque / translucent, stirring often for 5 minutes.
• Add cooking wine and cook until absorbed, again -- stirring often, about 2 minutes.
• Add Water,  1 CUP AT A TIME, stirring yet some more until most of the water is absorbed before adding the next cup of water. Continue until farro is soft and creamy, about 30 minutes.
• Stir-in Pumpkin Puree for a couple more minutes to heat it up.
• Remove from heat and add the Thyme (and hazelnut oil).
• Top with Roasted Veggies or Roasted PUMPKIN and season, to taste, with S&P (salt & pepper)
• Serve right away with more chopped Sage, cheese, toasted chopped hazelnuts and a drizzle of olive oil!

GO PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD! But, first, check out Shelly's books...

-Click this Link-

-Click this Link-

Tuesday Recipe: PUMPKIN SOUP

Every October I do #PunkinChunkin #31DaysOfPumpkin as a fun expo of all things pumpkin and squash and pumpkin spice. I try the newest packaged food, restaurant offerings and other pumpkiny products giving my two-cents-worth of opinion. Going with the creative flow, I try out recipes or generate some of my own concoctions.

Momma wasn't feeling too perky and I was getting pretty hungry, so we needed a quick-fix dinner. Time to either get creatively nutritious or run through the drive-thru for something not good for us. I tend to prepare to the size of the pot and end up with way too much food. So, I chose the smaller pan to limit the recipe and here's what popped out of the pot...

PUMPKIN SOUP

2 cups 100% Pumpkin (not the pie filling)
1 cup Almond Milk (or your choice of "milk")
32 ozs Vegetable Broth (the entire package)
2 Shallots, thinly sliced (or a small mild, sweet onion like Vidalia)
1 tablespoon Olive Oil, your choice
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
**optional: 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
**optional: 1/2 teaspoon Curry Powder
Salt, to taste
**optional: Sriracha Sauce, added to each bowl, to taste

Note:  I did not have a clove of garlic to sauté with the onion, but the veggie broth had enough essence of garlic for this recipe.

• Sauté thinly sliced shallots (and garlic, if you choose) in just a little Olive Oil until transparent.
• Add spices to shallots and slowly stir-in "milk" and broth and maple syrup.
• Spoon-in pumpkin stirring until loosened.
• Let simmer.
• Salt, to taste.
• If you want a velvety bisque, use an immersion blender to zip all ingredients down.
• If you don't mind the thinly sliced shallots (or onions & garlic), just stir occasionally making sure the soup doesn't scorch on the bottom.
• Serve with a good bread and perhaps a dollop of sour cream. ENJOY!

Tip: Each person can add the curry or sriracha to their bowl. Add a little at a time and taste.

Go play with your food!