Ginger Pumpkin Muffins

From Joy Bauer's Food Cures: Eat Right to Get Healthier, Look Younger, and Add Years to Your Life

PrintableRecipe

Hands on time: 5 minutes

Baking time: 15 minutes

Makes 12

Ingredients

½ cup brown sugar, packed

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp kosher salt

1 egg

1 cup fat-free milk (I used 1%)

½ cup canned 100% pure pumpkin puree

¼ cup canola oil

½ tsp grated orange peel

¼ cup flaked hazelnuts (my own addition – for a crunchy topping)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C and lightly coat muffin tins with cooking spray.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger & salt.

3.  In a small bowl beat the eggs for 30 seconds or until foamy.  Add the milk, pumpkin, oil and orange zest. Beat well.   Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture and stir until the flour is blended in.

4.  Fill muffin tins ¾ way full with batter.  Sprinkle with hazelnut flakes.

5.  Bake 15 minutes or until top springs back when touched or toothpick test (stick in center of muffin and should come out dry).

6.  Turn out onto wire rack to cool.  Once cool can be frozen for 2 months.  Mine never lasted long enough to freeze.  

Nutritional note:  131 calories, 3 g protein, 19g carbohydrate, 5g fat (0g saturated), 18 mg cholesterol, 20 mg sodium, 2g fiber, plus 463 mcg beta-carotene, 75 mg beta-cryptoxanthin (Ruth’s note, given that I used 1% rather than 0%, mine were probably a bit higher all around)

Whole Wheat Mac 'n Cheese with Pumpkin

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Mac ‘n Cheese
From Chatelaine Modern Classics:

Ruth’s note: my changes in red

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time 10 minutes
Broiling time 4 minutes
Standing time 5 minutes
Serves 8

Ingredients:
3 slices whole wheat bread
1 tbsp melted butter
¼ cup fresh chives, snipped
3 cups old cheddar cheese, grated
1 butternut squash or small sugar pumpkin (about 2lb/1kg), peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes. (I had some frozen cooked & mashed pumpkin in the freezer so I used that instead, making sure to drain the liquid out of the thawed pumpkin)
10oz/284 ml can undiluted chicken broth (or homemade)
½ tsp ground nutmeg
16oz/450g whole wheat elbow macaroni or fusili (I used penne)
8oz/250g block cream cheese, cut into small cubes
1 cup 35% cream (next time I’ll probably go with a lighter cream)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Topping:
1. Trim crusts from bread and lightly toast the bread. Tear into large pieces and pulse in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Add butter and pulse to mix. Add chives and ½ cup grated cheddar. Pulse once more to mix and set aside in a bowl.

Squash/Pumpkin:
2. Peel and cut in half, lengthwise. Scoop out and discard pulp and seeds. Cut squash/pumpkin into small chunks. (about 4 cups).

3. Place in a large pot. Add the broth, 1 cup water and nutmeg. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until the pumpkin is tender (about 10-15 minutes).

Ruth’s note: if using frozen pumpkin, place the frozen pumpkin in a strainer over a large bowl. Allow the pumpkin to defrost – you could speed up the process by defrosting it in a microwave. Press the liquid out and set the pumpkin “meat” aside until ready to use.

Pasta:
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the salt and pasta. Cook according to package directions, until al dente. Drain.

5. Preheat the broiler.

6. Using a slotted spoon, remove half of the pumpkin to a separate bowl. Using a potato masher, mash the remaining pumpkin in the pot with the broth until smooth. Add cream cheese, and continue mashing until the cheese is mostly melted. Stir in the cream, Dijon mustard, salt & pepper.

7. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 2 ½ cups of cheddar until melted. Fold in the pumpkin pieces.

8. Stir in the drained, cooked pasta and spread evenly in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the crumb mixture. Broil until the crust is golden (4-5 minutes). Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Ruth’s version:
1. All the pumpkin will be mashed, so add it along with the cream cheese, cream & Dijon.

2. An alternative to just broiling the hot mac ‘n cheese…we actually had to put off eating it for dinner, so I just put the prepared dish (step8) and heat the next day in a 350°F/175°C, covered with foil for about 30-45 minutes (just check with the tip of a knife in the center of the dish for when it’s hot). Remove the foil and raise the temperature to 375°F/ 180°C to crisp the crust.

Pumpkin Soup with Wild Mushrooms

Pumpkin Soup with Wild Mushrooms
From Simply in Season: 12 Months of Wine Country Cooking

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 45 minutes (can even be done a day ahead)
Cooking time 40 minutes

Ingredients:
½ cup dried porcini mushrooms or 2 cups fresh wild mushrooms, cleaned and chopped (Ruth’s note: I found a huge jar of mixed dried wild mushrooms at Costco – 454 g/16oz for $14.95!!!)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, white parts only, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp honey
8 cups pumpkin, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
½ cup orange juice
1/3 cup 35% cream
5 sage leaves
6 whole cloves
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
If using dried mushrooms:
1. Pour 1 cup boiling water over dried mushrooms in a medium bowl and let stand for 30 minutes or until the water has cooled to room temperature. Drain and rinse the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid and mushrooms separately.

2. Heat a large saucepan (I used a Dutch oven) over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter foams, add the leeks, onion and garlic and soaked or fresh mushrooms. Sauté stirring frequently for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the honey.

3. Add the pumpkin, chicken stock, orange juice and mushroom soaking liquid. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft (Ruth’s note: I must have cut the pumpkin too coarsely as it took much longer to cook). Stir in the cream, sage and cloves and simmer for 5 minutes more.

4. The book recommends transferring the soup to a blender, not a food processor, and blend until smooth. Strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve, discarding solids. Return to the rinsed out saucepan.
My version is more rustic, and less clean up…I use an immersion blender in the Dutch oven. First remove the cloves and sage leaves. I loved the flecks of mushroom. Season with salt & pepper to taste and serve. Next time, I’ll sauté some thinly sliced mushrooms in some butter to serve as garnish. I really did like it better the next day…way more flavor.