Three Pumpkin Recipes in One Go.

So despite October and Halloween coming to an end, it is still autumn and it is still pumpkin season, actually you might be able to get a great deal on some edible pumpkins now that Halloween is over.

Here are my favourite recipes with pumping, healthy spiced pumpkin breakfast bread, pumpkin soup and roasted pumpkin seeds.

These three recipes are all really easy to make and with a bit of planning, you are pretty much able to make all three in the time it would take to make one recipe.

All the recipes start of with peeling the pumpkins, cutting them in half to remove seeds and pulp and then cutting into smaller pieces to roast. Simply add a bit of flavourless oil of choice and roast in a big roasting pan at 220C for about 30-40 minutes, until they start to brown at the edges.

First thing to make out of the roasted pumpkin (see recipe down below) is the healthy spiced pumpkin breakfast bread, that is full of healthy ingredients, but makes your whole house smell of autumn cake. I usually slice it, add some cut out baking paper between the slices and freeze it in an air tight container. Then just take out a slice or two in the morning and toast. It is a great start to a cold and dark morning as it will fill you house with amazing autumn aromas to start the day.

It isn’t a sweet cakey bread, it is actually on the savoury side, so best buttered or with some jam or nut butter.

Healthy Spiced Pumpkin Breakfast bread ingredients:

200ml pumpkin pure

75ml plain tasting oil, like light olive oil, rapeseed oil, vegetable oil or groundnut oil

2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey.

1 egg

150ml orange juice

125g white spelt flour (I use www.sharphampark.com)

75g wholemeal spelt flour (I use www.sharphampark.com)

3 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds

75g of whole oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (1/4 if it is freshly grated)

1/2 teaspoon allspice

2 teaspoon cinnamon

50g of dates (or raisins)

50g pecan nuts

This soup actually came about because of leftover roasted pumpkin and the rest of the ingredients was what I had in the fridge at the time. It is very rich in flavour and a great autumn soup.

Because it varies how much roasted pumpkin you have left after the pumpkin bread, I have made this recipe into what is needed for 100g of roasted pumpkin, so if you have 500g of roasted pumpkin left, you just multiple the rest of the recipe times 5. So 500g roasted pumpkin, 50g onion, 2.5 clove of garlic, 1.25 inch of rosemary and so on. but having said that, if you have a bit more onion left over or don’t want so much garlic, just round up or down.

(see recipe down below)

Pumpkin Soup ingredients:

100g roasted pumpkin

10g onion

1/2 garlic clove

1/4 inch rosemary twick

150ml stock ( I used chicken )

1/2-1 teaspoon brandy (can be left out, though it gives a really good taste and there is no alcohol left).

salt to taste

oil for frying

Now if I was ever to make anything with pumpkin and not make roasted pumpkin seeds, I would have an upset husband, he is literally eats them up in 2 seconds after they have cooled. I am not a big fan my self, find them a bit to chewy, but if you do like them, they are a great source of Zink. (see recipe down below these ingredients).

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds ingredients:

Rinsed pumpkin seeds

500ml water

2 teaspoons salt

splash of olive oil.

So these recipes all start off with preparing the pumpkin like described earlier. 

While the pumpkin is being roasted remove the pumpkin seed from the pumpkin flesh and rinse them in a bowl of cold water and make sure no flesh is left on them. Then transfer the seeds to a small sauce pan with the 500ml water and salt. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Drain, add a small splash of olive oil and spread out on a baking sheet covered with baking paper, ready to go in the oven when the pumpkin is done.

Next mix all the dry ingredients to the pumpkin bread in a large mixing bowl and all the wet ingredients in a small bowl, except the orange juice and also hold back the pecan nuts and dates.

Once the pumpkin is out of the oven, turn the oven down to 175C, then put in the pecan nut on a small roasting tray and roast for about 10 minutes (be careful not to burn). 

Once the pecan nuts are out put in the pumpkin seeds and roast for about 15-20 minutes, when you hear one of two of them pop, they are ready. Let them cool and enjoy. One recipe done!

Wait until the pumpkin and pecans have cooled before finishing the pumpkin bread recipe. Then blend up about two big cups full off the pumpkin to a pure and chop the pecans and dates roughly.

Add 200ml of the pumpkin pure to the wet mixture and the dates and pecan nuts to the dry.

Then just mix in the wet mixture into the dry using a spoon and mix until combined. Last just stir in the orange juice to the batter (this will activate the soda) and transfer the batter into a small loaf tin lined with baking paper. Bake at 175C for about an hour. Cool and enjoy with your favourite spread. Second recipe done!

While the pumpkin bread is in the oven, weigh the left over roasted pumpkin (and pure if there is any left over) then calculate out what you need of the rest of the ingredients.

Cut up the onion and garlic into large pieces. Heat up a big pan with a bit of oil and soften the onion and garlic. Add the rosemary and brandy, letting the alcohol cook away. Then just add the pumpkin and stock and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, then blend and serve. Third recipe done!

Hope you enjoy these three recipes in the time of one and you will leave a comment down below if you make them.

Mia

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