Pumpkins, the shelves are stacked full of them when it comes to this time of year. And if it isn’t the shelves, it’s the pumpkin patches we all love paying a visit to. We all flock to buy them so we can channel our inner artistic side and carve something exciting ready to light up our Halloween displays, but Pumpkins can also be a delicious treat. They are full of healthy vitamins that have lots of benefits, including contributing to a deeper sleep and boosting your immune system (1). We don’t know about you, but we’ll do anything for the perfect snooze and to avoid that dreaded cold!
This Pumpkin season why not pop your chef hat and apron on to try some of our simple recipes that we’ve put together, just for you (and your tummies!).
Fun fact: did you know that a pumpkin is not classed as a root vegetable but as a fruit, due to the fact that it is grown from a flower and contains seeds.
1. spicy pumpkin soup
Mmm, soup. Is there anything more comforting on a cold Autumn day than a piping hot bowl of goodness? We’d like to say there is…when you serve it with a oozing, stringy cheese toasty (we’re not drooling, you are!). This spicy soup recipe also pairs perfectly with a cold, what better way to scare those sniffles away than a bit of spice.
ingredients (2):
- 1 pumpkin
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 tsp of ground coriander
- 2 tsp of ground cumin
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- Ginger, peeled and chopped
- 900ml veg stock
- 100ml double cream or crème fraiche
method:
First up, Heat up your oven to 180C/160C Fan/gas 4. Then, chop up your pumpkin (remove the seeds and save for later). In a bowl, add the chunks of pumpkin and coat in olive oil, garam masala and 1 tsp each of the cumin and coriander. Pop into a baking tray, along with the garlic cloves and roast for around 45 minutes.
Next, fry your onion until soft (Around 10 minutes). Then add the ginger, chilli flakes and remaining spices to the pan and fry for a few more minutes. Pour in your stock and simmer gently.
Lastly, once your pumpkin is cool enough to touch, scoop the flesh from the skins and add to your stock. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the pan, remove from the heat and give it a good blitz with a hand blender (or any type of blender you may have!). Season to taste, bring back to a gentle simmer and add the cream as you desire.
Top tip: toast your pumpkin seeds in a pan and sprinkle on top for some extra crunch!
2. pumpkin spiced cookies
A chewy, chocolatey twist on everyone’s favourite Autumnal hot drink. If your partial to dipping your favourite biccy’s in a cuppa then we’ve got the perfect recipe for you.
ingredients (3):
- 300g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice mix (1/2 tsp of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and all spice)
- 115g unsalted butter
- 100g brown sugar
- 100g granulated sugar
- 1 medium egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 200g chocolate chips or pieces of your choice (we like white chocolate!)
method:
First up, preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan and line two large baking trays with baking paper. Cream together the butter and sugars, then add in the vanilla and egg – whisk until combined.
Next, add all of your dry ingredients and mix until combined. Pop in your chocolate of choice and beat until a delicious cookie dough is formed.
Lastly, roll into even balls, place on your baking trays and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
3. pumpkin pie
A firm favourite across the pond, the pumpkin pie is a Autumnal classic that is gaining popularity in the UK now too. A sweet treat that is the perfect seasonal dessert, it’s definitely worth a try.
ingredients:
- 1 pumpkin (750g approx.)
- 350g sweet shortcrust pastry
- Plain flour, for dusting
- 140g caster sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 25g butter, melted
- 172ml milk
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
method:
First up, peel and chop your pumpkin (removing the seeds of course). Place in a large saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain the pumpkin and let it cool.
Next, preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Dust a surface with flour and roll out your pastry. Line a tart tin with the pastry and leave to chill for 15 minutes. Line the pastry with baking paper and baking beans (you can use uncooked rice as an alternative!). Bake for 15 minutes and then remove the beans and paper, placing back in the oven for 10 minutes.
Lastly, push your cooled pumpkin through a sieve or blend to a puree in a food processor. Mix all of your dry ingredients in a bowl and then mix in your wet ingredients (including your pumpkin puree). Pour into your tart shell and bake for 10 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and bake for a further 35-40 mins until the filling has just set.
Once cooled, dust with icing sugar and cinnamon and enjoy!
4. pumpkin curry
No recipe needed here, it’s all about winging it and doing what’s best for you. If you’ve perfected your favourite curry recipe then all you need to do is swap your usual meat or veg of choice for chopped up pumpkin (we also think it pairs perfectly with chickpeas!). Or you can even cheat the system with an easy, shop bought spicy sauce.
Pair with rice so fluffy it’s like a cloud and a steamy garlic naan for the ultimate meal at home.
5. pumpkin bread
When Autumn arrives, we all throw it back to lock down with the sudden urge to throw our aprons on and bake something sweet. The fan favourite is usually banana bread but we’ve got a pumpkin twist that we promise will make you go ‘mmm’. If you’ve got a banana bread recipe that goes right every time, then swap out your banana for pumpkin puree and add the spices listed below. If not, use our recipe here.
ingredients (4):
- 350g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 100g white sugar
- 150g brown sugar
- 120ml veg oil
- 60ml orange juice
method:
First up, preheat your oven to 180C. Mix all your dry ingredients (except the sugar) together in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk your eggs and sugar together until combined. Then add the pumpkin, oil and orange juice. Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and mix with a spatula (making sure not to over do it!).
Next, grease your loaf pan and pour the batter in. Place in the oven and bake for 60 minutes, making sure you keep an eye on the top as it may get too brown (cover with foil if you spot this happening!). Your masterpiece is done when you insert a knife and it comes out clean.
Lastly, once cooled you can drizzle with a cinnamon icing sugar for an extra special and sweet touch.
6. pumpkin spiced Latte
Pumpkin spice and everything nice. This is the drink of the season and there’s nothing more satisfying than cosying up with a drink that warms you from the inside out. However, you might want to rethink having this treat right before you snooze and opt for it as a morning pick me up, you can read more on how to improve your slumber here.
ingredients:
- 2 tsp of pumpkin puree
- 3 tsp of condensed milk
- A pinch of ground ginger
- A pinch of ground cinnamon
- A pinch of ground nutmeg
- 30ml of your favourite coffee
- 250ml of milk
method:
First up, mix your pumpkin puree, condensed milk, coffee and spices together in your favourite autumnal mug. Next, heat up your milk of choice in a pan (or in the microwave if you want to speed up the process!) and pour into your mug once hot. Stir together and voila!
sources:
- https://www.countryliving.com/uk/create/food-and-drink/g24428403/pumpkin-health-benefits/
- https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spiced-pumpkin-soup-2
- https://www.janespatisserie.com/2017/10/16/pumpkin-spice-cookies/
- https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bread/