It's Fall, Y'all...And Time For Some Yummy Pumpkin Recipes!!!

It's fall, although our weather down here in the south is still in the 80's...and I have really requested that it get into the 70's...but whatever the temperature is, the calendar says it's fall and that means that I am ready for ALL THINGS PUMPKIN!!!

With Halloween right around the corner and then Thanksgiving and Christmas, I began to think about all the yummy holiday treats I would possibly be missing being on this Paleo diet.  And then I turned that frown upside down after heading over to Pinterest and putting the words "Paleo Pumpkin Recipes" into the the search bar!

I wanted to share just a few of the recipes that I have tried...and approved!  The first thing that I had already pretty much given up last year was my favorite cool weather hot drink...Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks.  I gave it up because I was aware that it contained WAY too much sugar for me to be consuming.  So, feeling pretty down about that, I searched to see if there was an alternative to that sugar-filled favorite of mine and was delighted to find there was!

PUMPKIN PIE COFFEE CREAMER

Ingredients

1. 1 can coconut milk
2. 6 tbsp pureed pumpkin
3. 3 tbsp maple syrup
4. 1 tsp cinnamon*
5. 1/2 tsp nutmeg*
6. 1/2 tsp all spice*
7. 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Turn heat to medium and whisk constantly until a boil is reached. As soon as a boil is reached, turn heat to low and let simmer for 7-8 minutes.
2. Once ingredients seem smooth and well combined, turn off heat.
3. When cool enough to handle, transfer pumpkin pie creamer to an appropriate storage container, such as a mason jar.
4. Add to hot or iced coffees and enjoy.

Notes

1. * Instead of adding the cinnamon, nutmeg and all spice, you can substitute 2 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice.
2. ** Store in the fridge.

***NOTE:  Make sure you "puree" your canned pumpkin or it will be too thick to froth in a
                    machine if you have one.***

                 I store my Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer in a jar and keep it refrigerated.

The next "Pumpkin Yummy" recipe I discovered was simply from that little Pinterest search.  I came across these PUMPKIN BREAKFAST COOKIES:

Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies (Recipe Revisit)

1/2 cup raw almond butter
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or raw honey
1 or 2 eggs (see above)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1.5-2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
2-3 cups mix-ins of choice (nuts, seeds, coconut, raisins, ground flax, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Drop by tbs. onto a greased or Silpat-lined baking sheet. Press down slightly with palm. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

           I chose to put walnuts, raisins and some dark chocolate chips in my cookies...YUM!

And the most recent pumpkin recipe,  I came across this past weekend.  And when I saw it, I KNEW it had to be my "Saturday Morning Breakfast"!  I read the blog PaleOMG and she offered up this recipe which was TO DIE FOR!  The hubby and I both enjoyed PUMPKIN WAFFLES  for breakfast:

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 2 large bananas, mashed
• 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) pumpkin puree
• 5 large eggs
• 1⁄2 cup (125 grams) almond butter
• 1⁄4 cup (50 grams) melted coconut oil, plus more for greasing the waffle iron
• 1⁄2 cup (75 grams) coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of fine-grain sea salt
• maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the waffle iron.
2. Combine the bananas, pumpkin puree, eggs, almond butter, and coconut oil in a food processor or blender and mix well until the bananas are well blended with the other ingredients. Once smooth, add the coconut flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, and salt and blend until well mixed.
3. Lightly brush the waffle iron with the melted coconut oil. Using the waffle manufacturer’s guidelines for suggested cup [milliliter] quantity, ladle the batter into the preheated and greased waffle maker and spread it evenly across the surface, leaving a 1⁄2-inch (12-mm) border (the batter will spread with you close the lid). Cook, following the manufacturer’s directions, and when done set aside on a plate and keep warm while you cook the remaining waffles.

Notes

Yields 5 waffles

 

***NOTE:  This is the BEST Paleo Pumpkin Waffle recipe I have found!  No kidding.  I chopped up

                    a few walnuts and added them to the batter just before I poured it into the waffle iron.  I

                    also used a small amount of olive oil spray to keep the waffles from sticking.  Again, 

                    make sure you use a puree' so the batter will be thin enough.***

These waffles will make you jump up and say OH MY what GOODNESS!  There was enough batter left over that I poured it into a Ziploc Bag and stuck it in the refrigerator for later use.

 

I am SO happy that Pinterest exists.  And the THE PALEO MOM .  And PaleOMG.  Because it makes Paleo cooking SO fun and easy!

                                                                 HAPPY FALL, Y'ALL!

                                                                                and

                                                                           remember...

                                                                     EAT GOOD FOOD!!!