Pumpkin Extravaganza

It was time to say goodbye to the beautiful pumpkins that graced my home and classroom for weeks. I really love this part. Opening ’em up, pulling their stringy innards and seeds from their packed, dense flesh with my bare hands, I imagine the procedure is akin to butchering. Processing pumpkin is a very worthy way to spend an afternoon.

I roasted a variety of pumpkin together, including some winter squash. White pumpkins are often smaller and seem to ripe at a snail’s pace. I find orange pumpkins to roast better, i.e. more quickly, and have thicker seeds than the white. When the orange pumpkin flesh was soft and velvety, pulling away from its paper-like skin, the white flesh was barely penetrable with a fork. In the end I was left with a slew of puree. Here are some of the things I made.

I whipped up a batch of apple butter pancakes using the rest of the apple butter. These were hearty cakes I ate during the week for lunch, packed with rolled oats and ground flax.  For the topping, a pumpkin coconut milk whip cream. This was barely sweet but that was no concern given maple syrup is always on my pancakes. With a side of persimmon, a fabulous breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Ok, more pancakes. This time the pumpkin was in the pancakes! I let the puree strain on cheesecloth to ensure a more potent pumpkin flavor.  I also used ground salba “egg” substitution instead of flax. Holy omega-3s!  These were thick and delicious though The Electrician and I agree that cloves was a bit much. With potent allspice and ground ginger already in there, I’d omit it next time.

Want more pumpkin? How about pumpkin bread? A moist and wonderful spiced loaf from Hell Yeah It’s Vegan. With a cup of sugar and maple syrup in this baby, how can it not be good? This is my sweet fix for the week… if it lasts.

More pumpkin adventures to come. Stay tuned.