Over Yet?

I know what you're thinking. This whole pumpkin thing was over, wasn't it? It's not fall. Pumpkins aren't infiltrating every part of our minds anymore. What the hell am I doing posting a pumpkin recipe?

Well, when you have a half dozen cans of pumpkin just sitting in your pantry and they continue to be sold for $1.25/ can, how can you not continue to indulge in pumpkin? How can you not still be craving little mini pumpkin pies in cupcake form? Do you hate puppies and kittens too? Come on!

These are essentially mini-pies in cupcake form. They are best eaten after being chilled, but can definitely be gobbled up at room temperature. They were pretty quick to come together and are relatively low in sugar compared to regular cupcakes and pies.

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

by Bonnie Graham

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert pumpkin pie

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Ingredients (12 mini pies!)

• 2/3 c all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 1/3 c sugar (or a Truvia/sugar mix) - you can add more sugar if that's your preference
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 c evaporated milk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or silicone liners.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice

3. Add pumpkin puree, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and evaporated milk until well combined.

4. Fill each muffin cup with approximately 1/2 cup of batter.

5. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan. They will sink as they cool.

6. Chill cupcakes before serving.

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Coffee or Tea

I am not a coffee drinker. Even though I really, really want to be a coffee drinker. I looooooovvvvveee coffee.

What I don't love about coffee are the accompanying crack shakes and immediate bathroom needs that frequently follow its ingestion. Have I shared too much? Coffee will make me jittery and jumpy for hours. In fact, it actually makes me feel like I'm hypoglycemic!

What makes this star-crossed love affair with coffee even more challenging is when it's all made PUMPKIN FLAVORED! You're just mean, Universe!

Have you missed all the pumpkin-flavored coffees everywhere? Are you in living under a rock? Because they're EVERYWHERE!
For ha-ha's, I invegistated whether there was any nutritional differences in regular coffee compared to my strongly desired pumpkin flavored varieties in feeble attempt to knock the cravings out of me.

Shockingly, there is quite a difference! A Dunkin' Donuts large pumpkin coffee has 210 calories compared to a regular coffee which only has 10! The Starbuck's Pumpkin Spiced Latte, even if it's made with fat-free milk, still has 7 grams of fat! What?!

Shockingly, this do not knock the cravings right out of me! What it did do was motivate me to create my own non-withdrawal symptom inducing, all-natural Pumpkin Spiced Latte.

Success!

Pumpkin Spiced Latte (with Coffee or Tea)

by Bonnie Graham

Keywords: beverage pumpkin fall

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Ingredients (2 servings or 1 large cup)

• 1 c brewed coffee or chai tea
• 3/4 c milk
• 2 tbsp canned pumpkin
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• dash ground clove, optional
• OR you can add a tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice
• sweetener of choice, to taste

Instructions

1. Brew your coffee or tea.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a microwave-safe measuring cup. Heat milk/pumpkin/spice mixture until it is very hot, about a minute and a half in the microwave

3. Pour coffee/tea mixture into a high speed blender. Blend on high until mixture is fully incorporated and frothy.

4. Top with pumpkin pie spice, if desired.

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I've Got a Problem

Okay...fine...I have many problems. But this post will focus on just one.

I'm sure you won't be shocked to learn that it's pumpkin. Pumpkin is my problem. Never at any other time of year do I crave one single thing like I do for all things pumpkin in Autumn. Cakes, breads, cookies, soups, chili, curries, beers, ice cream, body scrubs, whatever.

I want pumpkin EVERYTHING! And all of the lovely, warming spices that go along with it. I've been adding cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove to everything I'm making. Even if it's scrambled eggs. No, no, just kidding. For now. 

The problem I have with this spice list, besides the obvious scrambled egg debacle, is that I can never get the ratios correct. I love all of these spices on their own and in combination that I tend to over-do it in most things I make.

Well, not with this one, in this one, I actually got the right combination of spice, flavors, and pumpkin.

Here's another problem I have (I told you there were many). I like to bake. I am diabetic. The two don't really mesh well. Additionally, Jerry is one of those people who says that he doesn't like desserts or baked goods. He's also one of those people who will finish off an entire tray of brownies when you're not looking. My baking makes Jerry angry because he knows that I'll eat one of whatever I've just baked and he'll eat the rest. See, problems.

In an attempt to meet my baking jones and not have my boyfriend hate me every time the oven timer dings, I have halved this recipe to make only 6 muffins instead of the usual dozen. You can easily double it to accommodate non-fat kid needs.

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

by Bonnie Graham

Cook Time: 23 - 25 minutes

Keywords: bake breakfast snack vegetarian oats pumpkin cinnamon coconut oil fall

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Ingredients (6 muffins)

Cinnamon Streusel Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp sucanat or sweetener of your choices
• 1 tbsp butter, margarine, or coconut oil - I used coconut oil
• 1 tbsp oat flour
• 2 tbsp rolled oats
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Muffin Ingredients:

• 1/2 c oat flour (finely ground oats)
• 1/4 c whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves (optional)
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1/2 c pumpkin puree
• 2 tbsp butter, margarine, or coconut oil - I used coconut oil
• 1/4 c sucanat or sweetener of your choice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Make streusel by combining all ingredients and set aside.

3. For muffins, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Mix well.

4. Mix pumpkin, milk, oil and sweetener of choice. Fold wet ingredients into dry and stir until just moistened.

5. Spoon half of batter into 6 muffin tins that has been greased. Top with half of the streusel and swirl in with a knife. Spoon remaining batter on top of streusel and top with remaining streusel.

6. Bake for 23 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for at least 10 minutes.

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Breaking the Seal

I know I just wrote a post about grasping onto every last bit of summer. And how I try to avoid accepting the autumn season for as long as I can.

But I've already done it. I broke the seal. The pumpkin seal. I have already opened my first can of pumpkin. Okay, fine, my first two cans of pumpkin!

I didn't mean to. It just sort of....happened. Before I knew what I was doing, I had opened a can and added it to oatmeal. Then, when I saw a recipe for Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding....well, let's just say I had no choice. It couldn't have been avoided any longer!

And since we're being all honest with each other, I have another pumpkin confession to make. This is a bad one too. 

Last week, I suddenly came down with a stomach virus. Initially, I thought I had just woke up with an upset stomach, assumed it would pass, and continued getting ready for my day. Since seeing the recipe the day before, all I could think of making was Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding! I mix it up and put it in the fridge to chill, only for the full force of the stomach virus to hit me several minutes later.

When I was finally able to leave the bathroom, I decided to try a bite. It was good. It was so good, I had another bite, and another bite. Before I knew it, I had eaten half of the pudding! I kept thinking, "I have to save same for Jerry. I have to save some for Jerry."

But then the lawyer (or fat kid, take your pick) in me kicked in, "Will he really eat this knowing that I made it while I was sick? Probably not. And it would be unfair to him to have it in the fridge and him not be able to eat it. I should just eat the whole thing and poor Jerry won't have to suffer that torment."

Which is exactly what happened. I finished the entire bowl of pudding!

Slightly disgusted, partially embarrassed, I rinsed the dishes, put them in the dishwasher, and no one was the wiser. I'd like to think that karma came back around as I spent the next hour in the bathroom, not enjoying my Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding.

Now, who wants some pudding?!?

Pumpkin just doesn't photograph well.

Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding

by Bonnie Graham

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: food processor dessert snack chia seeds pumpkin fall

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Ingredients (4 servings)

• 3/4 c milk
• 1 c canned pumpkin, chilled if possible
• 3 tbsp chia seeds, ground into a powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 heaping tsp cinnamon, or more to taste
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp clove
• 2 tsp sucunat or sweetener of your choice

Instructions

1. Ground your chia seeds into a medium fine powder. Set aside.

2. In a food processor or blender, combine milk, pumpkin, vanilla, sweetener, and spices. Blend well to combine. Scrape down sides.

3. With processor running, slowly pour in chia seed powder. This is to help the chia seeds be more evenly distributed in your pudding and so you don't end up with blogs of chia stuck together. Scrape down sides and process for 30 seconds longer.

4. Pour pudding into preferred container. Let set in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours before enjoying!

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