As summer comes to a close and we are officially in the Fall
season, our country is very much divided.
Not so much politically, or ethnically, financially or racially, but
those who embrace the Pumpkin Spice craze and those who don't. Autumn is the best for a number of
reasons. My favorite bands go on tour
(Halloween is their peak season), new horror movies come out and classics get
rereleased. Eating an obnoxious amount
of bite-sized candy is totally acceptable.
Halloween home décor shows up in every store and to many of us, a nice
set of skull dinner napkins is appreciated 365 days a year.
And yes, yes it’s TRUE!
I also love Pumpkin and Pumpkin Spice flavored things.
In defense of this exhausted flavor, there first needs to be
an understanding of the difference between Pumpkin and Pumpkin Spice.
Pumpkin is the edible gourd that we carve in October. Pumpkin is very similar to butternut squash (seeds,
flavor, etc.). The most common form of
pumpkin that actually is used for cooking is Pumpkin puree, which comes in a
can and needs to be used within a month or so of opening. Pumpkin puree works well when added to dishes
because it can provide moisture and flavor to items like bread, brownies and
other baked items. Pumpkin is said to be
good for the skin, low calorie, and even may help boost your immune system.
Pumpkin Spice or Pumpkin Pie Spice or Cake Spice is a
mixture of spices. It has no Pumpkin in
it. It is referenced to as Pumpkin Pie
Spice because (get read for the big reveal) it is often used in pumpkin
pie!?!?! However, a lot of Fall recipes,
other than pie, may not list Pumpkin Spice as an ingredient but include all the
makings of Pumpkin Spice. Pumpkin Spice
is a blend of Allspice, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger, and Clove. How do I know this combination of five spices
by heart? Because I have made my own when I could not find any at the store (a
valuable skill useful on any desert island).
Pumpkin Spice, as opposed to Pumpkin itself, can be added to
almost anything and it has a distinct, grandma’s homemade pie, , spicy, seasonal
scent and flavor. A PSL (Pumpkin Spice
Latte at Starbucks) tastes rather fake and really does not give a great
impression of what this flavor should be.
So, I am sharing some of my pumpkin secrets. By late August, I am stocking up on cans of Pumpkin
and making sure I have at least two jars of Pumpkin Spice. From September until December, there is not
much of anything I make that does not have a Pumpkin/Pumpkin Spice
influence. Therefore, I hoard these
recipes like a kid grabbing cookies of the shelves in a grocery store. But, I must share the wealth.
First of all, I buy (every season because it is not an all
year item) Pumpkin Spice Chai from David’s Tea.
It is the best and tastes great by itself, but also adding almond milk
and maple syrup and some . . . .PUMPKIN SPICE to make it a homemade latte. Not to mention, it has little pumpkin
sprinkles in the tea so it makes you extra happy when brewing a cup.
Something I make (actually all year round) is Pumpkin Spice
granola. It uses Pumpkin as part of the
flavor and binding agent for the granola. It also calls for Pumpkin Spice (well, all the
spices which as we learned earlier, equal Pumpkin Spice). It makes a lot and is great as cereal in milk
or on top of plain or vanilla yogurt.
My next seasonal staple is pumpkin bread. This also uses both Pumpkin and the Spice. This recipe is the best because it makes two
loaves (one for you and one for a friend) and you can freeze them. I usually add chocolate chips and it is the
bomb dot com.
Pumpkin Bread recipe found here (but don't forget to add
chocolate chips—it is just stupid not to):
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/classic-pumpkin-bread/
Pumpkin Spice pancakes are always delicious. I use this recipe that uses canned Pumpkin
and Pumpkin Spice. These are fluffy and
delicious. Sur La Table sells
(seasonally) pumpkin spice maple syrup so you can really get crazy.
Once I had a little of my canned Pumpkin left and needed to
use it up so I found a recipe for brownies that were actually “healthy”
brownies. They used pumpkin puree,
peanut or almond butter, and cocoa as the main ingredients. Not bad.
Healthy Brownie recipe here:
http://www.runningwithspoons.com/2016/10/15/flourless-pumpkin-brownies/
Lastly, just yesterday I made pumpkin mini muffins, which
also use a blender like the brownies, and are rather healthy (no flour or butter). These are perfect if you make them mini (only
fill up 1/3-1/2 of a regular muffin tin cup if you don't have a mini muffin
pan).
Mini Pumpkin Muffins here:
https://www.averiecooks.com/2017/09/mini-flourless-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-blender-muffins.html
Pumpkin Spice can be added to almost anything: cookies, cake, lattes, roasted
vegetables. I like to roast butternut
squash in maple syrup with some Pumpkin Spice sprinkled on top. I add Pumpkin Spice to my coffee grounds when
making my morning coffee.
All of us may be a little tired of the Pumpkin craze but
until you have tried the real deal, you cannot judge. Nor can you know the magic of these flavors
and this season. Hope you find a little
more room in your life for Pumpkin after reading this. And if you don’t, that is fine too. . .more
for me!
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