Around this time of year, I crave fall – the crockpot, leaves falling, and all things pumpkin. Then I remember I live in South Texas and the temperature ranges from 40 degrees to 90 degrees…in the same week! This doesn’t mean that we have to be cheated out of delicious pumpkiny goodness. Each year, I ask friends for their favorite pumpkin recipes to add to my family cookbook. The following are a few of my favorites, and they’re perfect for Fall dinner parties or holidays.
Breakfast
A nice warm bowl of oatmeal is the perfect start to a crisp fall day – bonus points if it tastes like a guilt-free slice of pumpkin pie. The Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal is a quick and easy recipe packed with delicious pumpkin flavors and spices, so it’s basically fall in a bowl.
The Low-Carb Pumpkin Pancakes are another healthy breakfast option. The fluffy pumpkin flavored pancake is made with almond flour and is surprisingly filling at only 5 carbs a piece! Add a side of bacon and a dollop of butter for a perfectly satisfying breakfast dish.
Lunch
Sometimes, a plate of nachos is all you need to satisfy your lunch cravings. When you add pumpkin and Fall-friendly veggies, you get the perfect Fall inspired dish. The Roasted Pumpkin Nachos are packed with salsa, cheese, and beans layered over your favorite chips to highlight the Mexican flavors and topped with cubed pumpkin as a nod to Fall.
Cooler temperatures call for thick, creamy soups. The Pumpkin Soup packs a delicious punch of pumpkin paired with spices, bacon, veggies, and is topped with fresh croutons. The soup is quite rich and filling, but you can pair it with your choice of bread ( I like baguette bread ) as an alternative to croutons.
Dinner
Have you ever walked into the pasta aisle at the grocery store and noticed a wide variety of noodles in all shapes and sizes, but when you look for a sauce, you’re greeted by a variety of tomato/marinara and Alfredo sauces? Although they are perfectly delicious, sometimes, getting creative with the sauce can be fun. This recipe for the Vegan Tuscan Pumpkin Pasta Sauce is sure to make your taste buds dance. The flavor profile of the creamy sauce combines pumpkin, cinnamon, maple syrup, and sage, with a tomato punch that gives it a Tuscan feel. It sticks to pasta a lot better than traditional marinara sauce, so you’re promised a flavor punch in each bite.
In addition, the Chorizo Pumpkin Pasta packs a punch of flavor with a low-carb combination of pumpkin and sausage. The soup is quick and easy to put together and the rich flavor profile pairs well with a side of biscuits for a hearty meal.
Dessert
I felt the need to spice things up a bit, so I decided to ditch the traditional Pumpkin Pie, and add a few new pumpkin flavored desserts to my cookbook. One of my favorites is the Pumpkin Crumb Cake Muffins. The base of the muffins is made with a pumpkin bread recipe, but the real star of the dessert is the delicious pumpkin spice crumble. The sweetness of the butter, brown and granulated sugars pairs well with pumpkin spice flavors that are crumbled generously over the muffins and topped with a maple icing.
Another delicious, yet healthy dessert is the Low-Carb Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting. These low-carb, gluten free bars are made sans flour and sugar, but are still flavorful. The natural cream cheese frosting adds a sweetness to the spicy pumpkin spice flavor of the bar’s cake base.
Which of the pumpkin recipes was your favorite?
