I can’t believe it’s pumpkin season again! North Haven Gardens is having their Fall Festival this Saturday and Sunday. Vendors are there all day, both days. So come out, sample food, check out the plants, and look at the artwork. You can join me as I share tips for how to successfully roast your own pumpkin, puree it in a food processor, and use it in a variety of recipes. Plus, some very yummy gluten-free pumpkin muffins. (I just made the test recipe. They are on the cooling rack as I type this…and right now my kitchen smells sooooo good!!!) I will be there Saturday the 26th, from 1:00-2:00 in the Cafe Space, and again the following day for a repeat performance, Sunday the 27th, from 1:30-2:30 in the Conference Room. North Haven Gardens is located at 7700 Northaven Road, Dallas.

This blog post serves as the outline for the process of roasting a pumpkin, and making your own puree. The recipes of the food items I will present are listed below.

What Kind of Pumpkins

All of the pumpkins at North Haven Gardens are edible. Personally I prefer Sugar Pie Pumpkins. They have the best taste, sweetness and texture. Fairy Tale Pumpkins are edible, but the taste can vary from bland, to woody, and occasionally they are just too watery. If they are still firm after decorating season, I do harvest the seeds for roasting, and make Pumpkin Body Scrub or Face Wash with the Fairy Tale Pumpkin meat.

For efficiency, I roast two Sugar Pie Pumpkins at a time. I choose pumpkins about the size of cantaloupes…see the above photo. If I’m not using them for decoration, I choose the ones that have broken stems for no reason other than I think it is nice to save the stemmed pumpkins for visual purposes. Two Sugar Pie Pumpkins yield approximately 4 1/2 cups of puree and a little less than one cup of seed per pumpkin, depending on the size of the pumpkin.

How to Make Real Pumpkin Puree

• Wash & dry the pumpkin.
• Cut the top off. Cut the bottom off, so it sits evenly on the cutting board.
• Cut in half. Leave the skin on.
• Scrape out seeds and fibers…save those seeds for toasting & roasting.
• Cut the half into half or quarters. Make them the size of thin cantaloupe slices…they will be easier to peel. Also with smaller slices, there is more surface to naturally caramelize.
• Place on baking sheet. I line mine with parchment paper (NOT waxed paper) for quick clean up.
• Use NO OIL. You want puree in its purest form.
• Place pieces on baking sheet, up, down, sideways…any way will work.  The photo above is 2 Sugar Pie Pumpkins.
• Move oven rack to the center.
• Bake at 350º for 45 minutes to one hour, or until golden and fork tender. One hour works in my oven.
• When cool enough to touch, begin to remove skin with a knife. Roasted pumpkin pulls away from the skin when cooked. I think it is dangerous to peel raw pumpkin. It is slippery, and makes the job much more difficult. The cooked pumpkin skin will peel right off with the help of a paring knife.
• Put baked pumpkin meat into a food processor or blender.
• Blend till you have the smooth consistency of canned puree or mashed potatoes.
• If it needs water, add in tablespoon increments.
• If it looks too watery, remove from processor and strain in cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer. I always strain mine. See photo above in collage.
• Use for any recipe that calls for Pumpkin puree. When you are ready to use it in a recipe, season with spices as the recipe calls for.
• Freeze in one-cup measures for later use. Use plastic freezer bags, and flatten for more storage space. Label with both, day & date made. When ready to use, thaw in refrigerator. It is already pre-measured in one-cup increments. If you need less, cut the tip off the bottom corner of the bag. Squeeze puree into measuring cups or spoons.
• If you are using this puree within the week, store in one-cup size Ball jars. These will keep for up to one week in the refrigerator. Label with both day & date made. Store in the back of the refrigerator.
• Now, doesn’t your house smell great. You should be in a Fall mood, and looking in your closet for that favorite turtleneck or sweater! I was listening to Bill Evans Jazz as I baked my pumpkins!

The Seeds

I think I have tried every cooking suggestion and variation for roasting seeds. I have boiled them before roasting, and roasted with low heat and high heat. I searched the internet and found this fabulous, funny and detailed website. This man has tried it all, and charted it for the best results. It was the most useful information I have seen, so without re-writing the recipe for seed roasting, I would like to direct you to his link: The Manly Housekeeper-Man-Evolved; Tested: The Best Way to Roast Pumpkin Seeds The Manly Housekeeper. The chart and final thought for what works is at the bottom of his post. I highly recommend you check out his blog. It is very funny and informative, and he tests everything!  I follow his Step 1 – 2 & 3. I season with Coconut Oil, Redmond Brand Real Salt, Chipotle Powder and a pinch of Cayenne Powder. For two, 2 1/2 lb, sugar pie pumpkins, I got about 2 cups of toasted seeds.

From Dr. Mercola, 9 Amazing Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds.

The True Potency of Pumpkin Seeds…[Potency of Pumpkin Seeds]

Pumpkin Pudding with Pie Crust Cookie

A lovely way to have pumpkin pie without making the pie. This pudding may be used as a main entree side dish, or dessert. I serve mine warm.

This is also a nice filling for pumpkin ravioli.

The Ingredient List

2 cups pumpkin puree

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoons sesame tahini, peanut butter, or almond butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon of spice mix in this blog or commercial brand pumpkin pie spice. I also have spice mix mid-way into the blog post linked [Pumpkin Spice Mix]

The Preparation Method

1. Use pumpkin puree or visit my blog post for more detail using butternut squash[HERE]

2. Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and process till smooth.

3. Adjust seasoning and serve warm. If you like, top with pecans or walnuts, and a shaving of nutmeg from a whole nutmeg.

The Pie Crust Cookie

Pie crust dough is great to have on hand. It is a good way to get the feel of a cookie without the sugar in most cookie recipes.

The Ingredient List

Makes two nine inch pie crusts, or about 22 maple leaf cookies, using a 2 inch cutter.

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shortening (I use Spectrum Brand Organic All Vegetable Shortening)

1/2 cup water (very cold)

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon sugar (set aside for topping)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (set aside for topping)

Dash of salt (set aside for topping)

This is also the crust I use for apple, pumpkin and sweet potato pies. You may omit the brown sugar and cinnamon for a plain basic crust.

The Preparation Method

1. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Mix well.

2. Cut in the shortening. Work it with a dough cutter or two dinner knives (not sharp knives) till dough resemble course crumbs.

3. Add water in increments of 1 tablespoon at a time. I find I use about 1 tablespoon less than this recipe calls for.

4. Stir or work with hands (use gloves) until it forms a ball.

5. Divide dough into two balls. I shape into flat rounds.

6. Wrap in plastic or parchment paper and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

7. Lightly four a work surface, roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thickness.

8. Choose your cookie cutter. If using a two inch maple leaf, after cutting, use a knife point to press in leaf veins on both sides.

9. Mix the sugar, cinnamon and dash of salt together.

9. Sprinkle cookies with mix, and press mixture in…do both sides.

10. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes. Rotate baking sheet at half point of time. Watch for the desired golden brown color.

Pumpkin Butter: with Walnuts or Pecans

Think peanut butter, not dairy butter. This is one of the yummiest ways to enjoy the season. Spread on apples, toast or crackers. Warm it and add a dollop to top pancakes. It can act as a frosting for muffins. It does not hold up like a frosting, but at the time of serving, add to the top of the muffin.

The Ingredients List

1 cup toasted walnuts or pecans

1 cup almond milk, soy milk or coconut milk (These are thicker nut milks)

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

2 tablespoons ground flax (See the benefit of flax for women [HERE]. 1 TBSP whole flax seed becomes 2 TBSPs when ground.

1 tablespoon of coconut oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt (I use Redmond real Salt or Pink Himalayan)

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2  teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup maple syrup

The Preparation Method

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and toast the nuts of your choice on 350º for about 5 minutes. Watch them closely, they burn fast!

2. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend till the consistency of peanut butter.

3. Place in a jar and refrigerate. Will keep for about 1 week.

…And it is really good on the muffins below!!!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite celebrity chefs, Rachael Ray. I love the simplicity and structure she gives to recipes.

Muffins!  I prefer muffins over loaf bread. They are so versatile and portable. I consider them a nutritious cupcake.

In August, Mac was diagnosed as gluten intolerant. He took a test from Entero Labs, at the recommendation of Dr. Jonathan Wright, in Seattle. If you want to know more about how to take the test, send me an email. Since then, I have been on the hunt for gluten free everything. So far, the best flour is Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free Baking Flour.

The Ingredient List 

1  cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cloves, 1 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg.

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

Optional Add-in Ingredients

1/2 – 1 cup rough chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2  – 1 cup dried fruit such as cranberries or cherries

Sometimes, I toss in 1/3 cup shredded coconut

You may also add 1/2 – 1 cup chocolate chips

Optional Sprinkle Toppings

After the batter is spooned into the muffin cups, you may sprinkle the tops with this mixture: See Top Photo.

3 tablespoons  walnuts or pecans rough chopped

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon  cinnamon

The Preparation Method

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 12-muffin cups.

Use 2 bowls for mixing.

First, in the smaller bowl, add the flour, pumpkin pie spices, turmeric, salt and baking powder. Mix to integrate.

In the larger bowl, or in your stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together about three minutes, till fluffy. Add the pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla. Mix to incorporate. Now, add half the flour mixture and mix well. Add the last half and mix well.

If you want to add in things like pecans or cranberries, do it now, and fold in by hand.

I use my hand mixer to make these. My Kitchen Aid stand mixer is too heavy to move around. 

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Fill them close to the top. Smooth the tops using the back side of a wet spoon.

Now, you may add the sprinkle mix to the tops, or just add a pecan half or walnut half to each muffin top, if you like.

Bake in a preheated oven, at 350ºF, till domed and golden. The muffins should feel firm yet springy. A wooden pick inserted into the center should come out clean. Bake about 35 minutes. You don’t have to but, I rotate my muffin tin about half way through the bake time

Cool on a wire rack. Remove muffins from the pan after about five minutes.

The Very  Orange Soup

Sweet Potato, Orange Bell Pepper and Carrot Soup

Yield: Approximately 18 oz: a large serving for one or a small serving for two.

The Ingredient List

1  individual    Sweet potato, very small (fist size), peeled and rough chopped.

1  cup   Orange bell pepper, rough chopped (about ½ large pepper).

½  cup   Carrot, peeled and rough chopped.

1  tablespoon, level, not heaped  Sweet onion, rough chopped.  

 ½  teaspoon  Sea salt of your choice (I use pink himalayan or Redmond) 

⅛  teaspoon   Pepper, white

1/4  teaspoon, heaped  Nutmeg

1/4  teaspoon, heaped   Cinnamon

2  tablespoons Maple Syrup

1  cup  Almond milk, unsweetened

The Preparation Method

Option 1:  High-Speed Blender Method (I use a Vitamix)

1.  Use a fresh sweet potato, orange bell pepper, carrots and onion.  Peel the sweet potato and carrots and use raw. Remove stem and seeds from the bell pepper.  Do not blanch or cook any of these ingredients.  Buy organic if available.  Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender.
2.  Blend on high.
3.  Run blender on high speed for approximately 3-4 minutes.  Some blenders have the ability to heat their contents due to blending speed.  If this is the case with your blender, blend until ingredients are comfortable to enjoy, but not too hot.  To keep soup raw and living, maintain a temperature of under 115-118 degrees, which should be comfortably warm when a sample drop is placed on your wrist. 
4.  Pour warm soup into bowl and garnish with black pepper and a few parsley leaves.

Option 2: Regular Blender or Food Processor Method

1.  Follow number 1, from Option 1, using your blender, or food processor.
2.  Pour blended ingredients into a small saucepan, and slowly bring soup up to a comfortably warm temperature, but not too hot.  To keep this soup raw and living, maintain a temperature of under 115-118 degrees, which should be comfortably warm when a sample drop is placed on your wrist.
3.  Finish by following number 4, from Option 1.

Substitutions:  Use 1 ¼ cups raw butternut squash as a replacement for a sweet potato.

 

When she is not in the kitchen or in a class, Phebe is illustrating her past toy characters in chalk pastel. 

Read More