Pumpkin Muffins with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

I am having a serious love affair with anything and everything pumpkin. Those closest to me are becoming concerned for my well-being, as it's likely that if I continue this mass consumption of the orange superfood I may very well become some kind of discolored mutant taking on it's nutritional super-powers... which doesn't sound that bad, truthfully. "In a World where people think being vegan means giving up everything tasty, one woman will stand up and light the way... The nutritious... the auspicious... the brightly-hued... Super Pumpkin." Okay, I apologize for getting carried away - see you never.

This is my first time baking vegan completely from scratch, and I'm quite proud of the result! It's nowhere near as difficult as I had imagined it would be, and completely delicious. There is no taste quite more satisfying than that. As always, feel free to get creative with this recipe and HAVE FUN!

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

• 1 15oz can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup vegan milk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tbsp agave nectar

Optional Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of raisins, cranberries, chopped walnuts, etc.

Frosting Ingredients

• 6 tbsp vegan cream cheese (I use Tofutti)
• 2 tbsp Earth Balance vegan butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
• 2-4 tbsp vegan milk (as needed)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and mix all dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
2. In a smaller bowl, mix all wet ingredients together, along with any optional ingredients, until smooth.
3. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring well. Mix until smooth.
4. Spoon finished mixture into well-greased muffin tins. I use aluminum baking cups to lessen my dish load.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes. This is the perfect time to make your own vegan cream cheese frosting!

 Frosting Directions

1. Cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla.
2. Add the sugar one cup at a time. 
3. If frosting is too thick, you may slowly add soy milk to loosen it up to reach the desired consistency.
4. Ice muffins after they've cooled completely.
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon, and enjoy - bet you can't eat just one!

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

Autumn is here, which means I can begin my endless consumption of pumpkin without being seen by others as absolutely insane! Starbucks has brought the much-anticipated Pumpkin Spice Latte back to its cardigan-wearing customers, one of which happens to be myself (Grande Decaf Pumpkin Spice with soymilk and no whip, please) - which gave me the brilliant idea of concocting my very own smoothie version of their delicious treat, loaded with all the nutrients of this amazing superfood. Stay tuned for more recipes using pumpkin!


Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
• 1 cup of your choice vegan milk (I used almond)
• 1 small banana
• 4-5 ice cubes
• Your choice cinnamon or pumpkin spice to taste (I used 1/4 tsp cinnamon)
• Your choice sweetener to taste ( I used 1 tbsp agave nectar)
• Optional Ingredients
• 1/4 cup of soy yogurt, plain or vanilla (I didn't use it, as I limit my soy consumption.)
• Your favorite non-dairy whipped cream

Directions

• Blend ingredients together until smooth. 

I served this protein-packed pumpkin smoothie for breakfast with multigrain waffles and apple slices. Enjoy!

Tempura

Gluten free vegan - there's a challenge. If the recipe calls for wheat flour, it doesn't get a second look from me. But in the fine print of all the tempura recipes I read, it says, don't stir this batter too long or you will activate the gluten in the flour and the batter will be too sticky. That means that here is a recipe that lends itself to gluten free flours. Yahoo.

I love the crunch and versatility of tempura. It's a technique that uniquely modifies a vegetable. Tempura provides texture and a certain mystic to a meal. It's just plain fun to eat tempura. Even a wary child will be intrigued.

Warning: Deep frying requires your full attention. Hot oil and a batter are a spitting, popping combination. Be careful and mindful. Keep the small children out of the kitchen. If you are dipping vegetables like bell peppers, that have a skin on them, score the skin before you batter or it may blister and explode in the hot oil. Wear an apron. Safety goggles aren't out of the question. But a helmet is going a little too far.

Tempura (mushrooms, spinach and sweet potato) and rice

Tempura 
 (deep fried vegetables)
1 cup flour (for gluten free, use brown rice flour or chickpea flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
and very important
1 cup ICE cold water


Vegetables
(such as: sweet potato, mushrooms, spinach, kale, eggplant, carrot, green beans, potato, okra, pumpkin, snow peas)
Peanut oil 
(traditionally sesame oil is used, you can also use canola or vegetable oil)

Prepare the vegetables. Wash and cut into bite size pieces. Dry. 

Heat the oil. It is ready when batter dropped into the oil turns golden brown. (325 - 350 degrees F)

Mix the batter last so you are working with cold batter. 

When oil is hot, dip the vegetables into the batter to coat lightly, then carefully put into the hot oil to fry. They will be ready in 2-3 minutes.Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and rain on paper towel. 

Serve hot with a soy or plum dipping sauce, or just give your vegetables a splash of lemon. 

Serve with a green salad and a bowl of steaming hot rice. 

Pumpkin Soup

Holidays are meant for social gatherings no matter how big or small. Whether you buy specially prepared foods and drinks or spend hours on making it all yourself. The play between traditional, seasonal, and something new on the table never ceases to delight me, my friends and family.  As we taste, savour, and veer into pure gluttony, we always discuss what it is we are eating and drinking. How it compares to last year's feast. What small mistake or forgotten step needs to be forgiven. Oh the cranberry sauce didn't quite make it into the cranberry sauce hall of fame! However, that easy side of southern greens was voted into the next special occasion that involves mash potatoes.

Maybe the topic of food is a truly safe subject. Even with close friends and family, politics and religion will quickly heat up a conversation. This year my Christmas dinner at my brother's house was surprisingly copacetic and pleasant, considering past uncomfortable situations at their place. I think we only talked about the food and wine. Then again, on New Year's Day alone with my long time dear friend, we only talked about the food. Not because it was safe or the easiest topic, but because...Damn, it was so good! I took a picture and made her divulge everything she did, so that I could share it here.

Pumpkin Soup
3 1/2 peeled and cubed raw pumpkin
2 cups vegetable broth
1 3/4 cups diced roma tomatoes
1 cup water
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 cup (coconut) milk
1 tablespoon vegan margarine
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup vegan yogurt (optional)

Throw the first six ingredients into a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes. Blend in blender only filling it half way at a time, or use another mode, like a hand held blender or food processor. Put back into the pot and add in the milk substitute and margarine. Bring to another simmer for 3 minutes. Serve with a dollup of vegan yogurt and cilantro if desired. If the pumpkins have all dissapeared, you can easily use another hard squash instead, like butternut or acorn. My friend found this recipe on www@ehow.com. The original recipe said that canned tomatoes could be used if fresh were unavailable and its okay to play around with the spices. Ground ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon were suggested to try. My friend increased the coriander to suit her taste (and mine) since the recipe only called for 3/4 teaspoon. We both put ground pepper into our bowls too. This was the best pumpkin soup I've ever had!

 

Winter Squash Couscous Salad

Pumpkin and butternut squash pair well with couscous

Recently, my husband made it oh so clear that he will not stand for any more rabbit food. So I experiment and try out vegan recipes late evening or mid-afternoon when I can. Last night we had a friend over for dinner, where we ate fresh caught fish, but after dinner the two of them chatted with me while I prepared an amazing couscous salad. They helped me taste test the two squashes and decide which dried fruit to use. By the time I had the finished product, my husband asked me to pack him a large portion for his lunch! Little did he know that I literally had to add some dandelion greens from the bunny's stash (out of the fridge-not his cage!), as I was out of parsley. Tee Hee. 

So it was unanimous. Butternut squash had denser color, texture, and flavour. The pumpkin was lighter and milder. Just look at the picture below. Wouldn't you enjoy roasted squash instead of boring potatoes as your next side dish. You could cut them into french fry lengths just as easily as cubes. I drizzled olive oil on top, seasoned and tossed them. Popped them into a 400 degree F.(or 200 degree C.) oven for 30 minutes, stirring once half way through cooking because they get quite brown on the pan side.

Does anyone else have trouble cutting open hard squashes? If I had a ban saw I would employ it for this purpose! For some reason the notion hit me to first peel them, to make it easier to cut them open. It does take hand strength to peel raw winter squash, but I think it helped. The hardest, and most dangerous part is splitting them in half. Your knife gets stuck in the middle...I don't have a cleaver, maybe that would do a better job. Anyway, good luck with yours.



These butternut and pumpkin squares are yummy already, just roasted with olive oil, salt & pepper.

Couscous & Winter Squash

1/2 a pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 2-3 cups)

4-6 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock

1 1/2 cups instant couscous

1/2 cup dried fruit: raisins, cranberries, or cherries

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

1/3 cup cilantro or parsley, chopped

1. Preheat oven and prepare the raw squash and roast it as described above.

2. Heat 2-3 tablespoons oil in a large sauce pan. Cook the onions and garlic over moderate heat 5-10 minutes until soft, but not brown. Add stock and bring to a boil.

3. Stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat. Let it steam for 10 minutes. Then fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

4. Mix in the squash, fruit, nuts, and greens. Serve warm, but can be eaten cold too.

I found this recipe in a beautiful coffee table cook book called Made in Morocco. The photographs alone kept my rapt fascination. My hostess in New Zealand shared it with me last summer. It called for raisins, but I only had dried cherries and blueberries in my cupboard. My tasters preferred the  cherries. They were tart and sweet, like cranberries would be. I personally don't favor cilantro, which was originally called for, so next time I make this I will use parsley, although the dandelion greens I used in my desperation (not to run to the store), stayed bright and savory even in the leftovers. Maybe you find it hard to follow recipes exactly too. Happy taste trails to you. 

Pumpkin Cake

Nordic Ware Pumpkin Patch Pan

The details are unclear. Driving to an appointment, listening to NPR, I heard snippets of an interview with Adam Gopnik, author of the book the Table Comes First: Family, France and the Meaning of Food.


The interview triggered memories of the table my husband and I made when we were first married. We balanced a piece of plywood over two saw horses and covered it with a table cloth. Later we replaced it with a table from the thrift store. On one end of that table he built a guitar and at the other end I made clay pots. We ate in the middle. We abused that table. One day it cried Uncle and warped, then cracked.

I thought of the oak table I bought at a garage sale 12 years ago. The man selling it told me that his family had shared a meal at that table every evening and after dinner his father would do fine sculpture work there, evidenced by the pock marks in the wood on one side. I sense that table could tell me stories and when I sit down to write at that table, I listen.

BOO
Tables are for gathering around. Offer a little food and we linger together for awhile. It's bonding in it's best form. Sharing a meal builds memories. When the forks are set down, elbows find the table. After a satisfying meal and a couple of glasses of wine, the tongue loosens and connections are made.


BOO
Tomorrow we will celebrate a birthday. The grand finale will be Pumpkin Cake made with pumpkin from my garden and baked in the Nordic Ware pumpkin cupcake pan my Mom gave me for a birthday years ago. 6 cups make the bottoms of 6 pumpkins and 6 cups make the tops of 6 pumpkins. A little frosting to wed the two and you have 6 round pumpkin cakes. One a piece. A stomach ache memory.

PUMPKIN CAKE

1 2/3 Cup Flour
1 Cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup water
1/2 Cup Pumpkin
1/3 Cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vinegar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients and sift together. Add remaining ingredients.
No need to grease the pan. Pour the batter into an eight inch square cake pan - or into muffin pans.

Bake 25 - 30 minutes, until a spaghetti noodle inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool.

Frost. Or sprinkle powdered sugar over the tops. Decorate

Come to the table, stay for dessert. There's no telling what will happen.

Pumpkin Chili

Flipping through my first issue of OPRA magazine ever sent to my address. I spy a recipe for this chili. Appropriately, this October issue proposes a few pumpkin recipes. Now, would you ever think of putting canned pumpkin into chili? What about Cinnamon? Mmm? Sounds Indian. I don't know about you, but I have trouble following a recipe exactly. I get out my grape seed oil instead of canola because I saw Bal Arneson use this oil on her Spice Goddess show. Then I used white kidney beans and added rinsed black beans for color. I must admit that I was a little sceptical about this actually turning out.


Pumpkin Chili
2 Tbsp. oil

1 chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-15 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

1-15 oz can of kidney beans

1-15 oz can of pumpkin puree
1-6 oz can of corn
1 cup uncooked whole bulgar
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 serrano chilies, chopped, seeded for less heat
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. bk. pepper

Heat large stock pot, add oil. Once oil is hot, add onions and garlic. Saute about 4 minutes until soft. Add all the other ingredients to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for another 30 minutes until bulgar is soft. Serve hot. Season with salt and pepper. 

Although I was very happy with the thickness and texture of this chili, the taste for me was lack luster. If you are normally content eating vegan main courses, than perhaps you could appreciate the subtle oatmeal-lish bulgar with the hint of pumpkin flavour under the mild chili and serrano spices.  If I were to make this recipe again, I would leave in the serrano seeds or try jalapeno peppers instead. I'm not convinced cinnamon was necessary, or that the Spice Goddess wouldn't redress the balance of these spices.