It’s officially pumpkin season! There’s no better time of the year to try out some delicious new recipes featuring everyone’s favorite fall ingredient, and we’ve got you covered- from breakfast to dessert!
1. Banana Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients:
1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 whole bananas
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup nondairy milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease muffin tin or spray paper liners to prevent sticking and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice together, adding more pumpkin pie spice if desired. Then whisk in sugar and set aside. Transfer bananas to a blender or food processor. Spotted and browning bananas are best. Whiz until bananas are practically a goop. Measure, adding applesauce (or more pumpkin) until it equals 2 cups. I used 2 small bananas and had to add 1/4 cup applesauce. Stir to combine and add to flour mixture, along with 1 cup pumpkin and nondairy milk. Stir until just combined. If you want to add chips, nuts, etc. (up to 1/2 cup), add them after a few strokes. Spoon into muffin tins or cups 3/4 full and bake 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
2. Curried Pumpkin Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
1 whole sweet onion, diced
2 whole garlic cloves, minced
3 cups vegetable broth
½ cup red lentils
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 tbsp mild curry powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp garam masala
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
1 whole apple, diced
Directions:
Line a medium pot with a thin layer of water. Add onions and cook over med-high heat for 2 minutes. Add garlic, then continue to cook until onions are translucent and all of the water has been absorbed. Add broth, lentils and apple and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook until lentils are orange and soft, about 7-10 minutes. Stir in pumpkin and spices. Reduce heat to low and cook another 5 minutes, stirring to incorporate all ingredients. Add salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste.
3. Low Fat Pumpkin Bean Bars
Ingredients:
15 ounces white beans (any)
½ cup canned pure pumpkin
2 whole bananas
3½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp peanut butter
½ cup instant oats
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Drain and rinse beans. Combine all ingredients except oats (and cocoa if using) in a food processor, blending until smooth and creamy. Stir in oats (and cocoa if using) then transfer to a square baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the center is firm to the touch. Allow to completely cool before slicing or eating (the bars firm as they cool). The pumpkin flavor also intensifies the next day (make in advanced if possible).
Note: if you only have rolled oats, send them through your food processor first to chop them up so they are smaller and more granulated like instant oats.
4. Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients:
¼ cup nondairy milk
¼ tsp lemon juice
15 ounces pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or spray a standard bread pan. Whisk non-dairy milk and lemon juice together until bubbly and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, cream pumpkin, sugar, syrup and extract together. In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin pie spice, flour, baking soda and baking powder together. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined. Pour into bread pan, using a spatula to evenly distribute and smooth out the top. Grab a large piece of aluminum foil and make a tent over the pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If using icing, prepare while bread is baking. Once the bread has cooled but is still slightly warm, gently remove it from the pan and on to a serving plate.
5. Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour (white)
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
a dash of salt
4 tbsp canned pure pumpkin
1 cup nondairy milk
pure maple syrup (optional)
1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, whisk flour with baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until well combined. Stir in pure pumpkin, nondairy milk, and sugar if using. Let batter rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a nonstick skillet. When a drop of water fizzles on the skillet, It’s ready. Turn heat down to low and pour pancake batter into skillet, ¼ cup at a time. Cook on one side until bubbles form, about 2 minutes, then gently flip it over and cook another 2–3 minutes. Repeat until you are out of batter. Dip in maple syrup, if desired.
6. Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
½ cup mori-nu tofu, extra firm
1½ cups nondairy milk
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups canned pure pumpkin
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ cup brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9” shallow glass pie dish, set aside. In a blender or food processor, blend tofu, non-dairy milk, cornstarch and vanilla until smooth, stopping to scrape sides periodically. Add remaining ingredients and blend for about a minute more, until the mixture is uniform and well combined. Pour the mixture into the pie dish and bake for 1 hour. Allow the pie to cool on the counter, away from the hot oven, until room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.
7. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Ingredients: 1 whole bananas (frozen)
¼ cup canned pure pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup nondairy milk
a dash of ground ginger
1 tsp pure maple syrup
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth, adding more non-dairy milk as necessary to achieve proper consistency. Add more pumpkin or spice to taste. Garnish with a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. (1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice = 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cloves or allspice, 1/8 tsp nutmeg).
8. Pumpkin Raisin Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients:
6 tbsp canned pure pumpkin
¼ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup raw sugar
½ whole banana, mashed
2 tbsp nondairy milk
1½ cups rolled oats
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
¼ tbsp pumpkin pie spice
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ cup raisins
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, maple, sugar, banana and non-dairy milk together. In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice together and then transfer it into the wet mixture. Stir a few times then add raisins. Continue to mix until combined. It may look too dry initially, but keep stroking, it will incorporate perfectly. Drop spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet and bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until firm to the touch and spring-like.
9. Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients:
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
⅓ cup nondairy milk
1 cup coffee
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
a dash of cinnamon (optional)
Directions:
Brew coffee (one without added flavors works best) and pour into a mug or thermos. Add plant-based milk (plain or vanilla), then stir in 1 tbsp maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice. Taste, adding more maple or spice if desired. If you want to add a bit more sass, top your mug with additional pumpkin pie spice or a pinch of ground cinnamon. For an iced latte, chill your mug (use one large enough to hold additional ice cubes) of pumpkin spice latte in the fridge; then, when you're ready to drink, put several ice cubes into your chilled mug and serve.
Chef's Note:You could also stir some actual pumpkin into your coffee, too, and feel pretty good about drinking squash at breakfast.
10. Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
Ingredients:
15 ounces canned pure pumpkin
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
6 ounces plain soy yogurt
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup raw sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin, 1/4 cup applesauce and pumpkin pie spice until well blended. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, 3/4 cup applesauce, both sugars and vanilla until well combined. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together. Add yogurt mixture to flower mixture and combine. Spoon brownie mixture into a greased 8x8 square baking pan. Use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Spoon pumpkin mixture on top, using a spatula to even out smoothly. Then use spatula to swirl and mix the batters together. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to fully cool before slicing.
11. Single-Serving Pumpkin Muffin
Ingredients:
¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tbsp canned pure pumpkin
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp nondairy milk
3 tbsp white whole wheat flour
Directions:
Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350F. Grease a single muffin cup or place a paper liner in a metal measuring cup. In a small bowl, whisk dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice) then add remaining wet ingredients.
Stir until combined, adding a little extra nondairy milk if necessary. Gently spoon into muffin cup and bake 15-18 minutes, until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
