Clean Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Cookies

It's about that time of year!  Pumpkin EVERYTHING and I love it!  Fall is my favorite season and I am guilty of stock piling everything pumpkin while it is out for this short period of time. While my eating habits have changed dramatically since last Fall, I am determined to enjoy all the pumpkin that the season has to offer, just in a different way. Enjoy!

Clean Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients 

1 cup rolled oats 

3/4 cup almond flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 egg

2 Tbsp coconut oil 

1 tsp vanilla 

1/2 cup pumpkin purée 

1/2 cup raw honey 

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine rolled oats, almond flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and sea salt in a medium bowl, set aside. In a large bowl, combine egg, coconut oil, vanilla, pumpkin purée and raw honey. Add oat mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir well to incorporate all ingredients.  Spoon cookie dough onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Makes 12-16 cookie depending on size.

Pumpkin Spice French Toast

Today is Thanksgiving!  This is my first Thanksgiving that I am pretty far away from most of my family.  We usually do an early afternoon lunch/dinner feast, but things are a bit different this year.  I am one of those that hold out most of the day so that I am good and ready for a big meal.  Last year, I was not a vegetarian and indulged in everything that Thanksgiving had to offer.  This year things are going to be limited for me (and that is ok).  I am glad that I will not be going into a food coma this year like most years in the past.  I decided breakfast was a must this year and what better way to start out this great holiday than with Pumpkin Pie French Toast.  It's easy and delicious!  This is a single serve recipe and can be doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc to fit the size that you are serving.  Enjoy and to those who celebrate, Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Pie French Toast

Ingredients

1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 slices of bread
1 egg
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
splash of almond milk
Pure maple syrup for serving

In a large pan, heat coconut oil.  In a large, shallow bowl, beat egg.  Add pumpkin pie spice and a splash of almond milk.  Mix together and coat each side of the bread in the egg mixture.  Add to the pan with the coconut oil and brown on each side.  Top with pure maple syrup.

Apple Pie Protein Shake

Yes you read right, Apple Pie Protein Shake!  Being a vegetarian, I am always struggling with different ways to get in my protein.  After I made my Pumpkin Pie Protein Shake, I thought I would try an apple pie shake, another favorite of the fall season.  I played around with some ingredients and I think I have found the holy grail of protein shakes!  I'm talking so good, it will feel like a cheat meal!  Tastes fresh and seasonal and just like a freshly baked apple pie (minus all the calories).  Its quick and simple, enjoy!

Apple Pie Protein Shake

Ingredients

3/4 cup almond milk
1/2 apple, peeled, deseeded and chopped
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use Jay Robb's non-GMO egg white vanilla protein powder)
1/2 tsp apple pie spice (if you don't have the premixed apple pie spice, please see a recipe down below)
1 tsp pure honey
few ice cubes (don't use too many, or it will water down your shake)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.





Apple Pie Spice

Ingredients

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp all spice
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Mix all together and store in an air tight container.

Curry Pumpkin Penne Pasta

I have been on a pumpkin kick lately.  Always happens around Halloween.  I buy everything in sight that is related to pumpkin or pumpkin spice.  I know there are a lot of pumpkinholics out there like me.  My love of pumpkin runs so deep, I thought, why not make a dinner that has pumpkin in it.  One thing that sounded like it would mesh well with pumpkin was curry.  I didn't used to be a fan of curry but it has grown on me over the past year.  This dish was delicious, and most importantly super easy and quick.  Enjoy!

Curry Pumpkin Penne Pasta

Ingredients

1 package brown rice penne pasta
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Chopped cilantro and lightly salted pumpkin seeds for optional toppings

In a large pot, cook brown rice penne according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, in a large pan, heat coconut oil.  Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Add pumpkin puree, almond milk, vegetable broth, curry powder, cumin and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook 10 minutes to heat and incorporate all ingredients.

When pasta is done, drain and rinse the pasta (rinsing is important for brown rice pasta so it doesn't become sticky and clump together).  Add pasta back to pot it was cooked in.  Add curry pumpkin sauce to pasta and toss until pasta is well coated.  Cook on low for 5 minutes, stirring often, to heat all ingredients.  Serve immediately, topped with cilantro and pumpkin seeds as desired.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (3 different ways!!)

This is one of my favorite times of the year!  Cooler weather, family, carving pumpkins, roasting pumpkin seeds.  I've always roasted pumpkin seeds the same way, sprinkle a little salt on them and in the oven they go.  This year, I decided to try something different.  I put together recipes for roasted pumpkin seeds, 3 different ways!  Save those yummy seeds, don't let them go to waste!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Lightly Salted

Ingredients

Pumpkin seeds from one large pumpkin
Coconut oil
Salt to taste

Clean and dry pumpkin seeds from one large pumpkin.  Preheat the oven to 350*.  Place dry pumpkin seeds in a bowl and lightly coat with melted coconut oil.  Sprinkle salt to taste and toss to evenly coat.  Place the pumpkin seeds on an oiled baking sheet in a single layer.  Roast pumpkin seeds for 20-25 minutes or until they are lightly browned.  Enjoy!


Fiesta Blend

Ingredients

Pumpkin seeds from one large pumpkin
Coconut oil
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 pepper

Clean and dry pumpkin seeds from one large pumpkin.  Preheat the oven to 350*.  Place dry pumpkin seeds in a bowl and lightly coat with melted coconut oil.  Sprinkle seasonings over seeds and toss to evenly coat.  Place the pumpkin seeds on an oiled baking sheet in a single layer.  Roast pumpkin seeds for 20-25 minutes or until they are lightly browned.  Enjoy!


Pumpkin Pie Spice

Ingredients

Pumpkin seeds from one large pumpkin
Coconut oil
2 tsp stevia
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Clean and dry pumpkin seeds from one large pumpkin.  Preheat the oven to 350*.  Place dry pumpkin seeds in a bowl and lightly coat with melted coconut oil.  Sprinkle stevia and seasonings over seeds and toss to evenly coat.  Place the pumpkin seeds on an oiled baking sheet in a single layer.  Roast pumpkin seeds for 20-25 minutes or until they are lightly browned.  Enjoy!

Keep all seeds stored in air tight container for up to a week!