Move Over Pumpkin Pie!

Move over pumpkin pie – you’ve had your time to shine.  This holiday season, ditch your go-to pie recipe and incorporate a new pumpkin dish into the routine.

Pumpkin is more than just a delicious flavor and scent; it also has a host of health benefits that will help you justify the copious amounts you may consume. This seasonal staple is highly nutritious, and full of vitamin A, which is beneficial for eyesight and an immune system booster, and it’s also high in antioxidant content that may help reduce the risk of disease.

Below we’ve rounded up a couple of our favorite pumpkin recipes:

Make them into cookies! While it may still fall in the pumpkin dessert category, cookies are a great addition to any dessert table.

Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
Recipe Via:  A Couple Cooks

For the cookies

• 1 1/2 cups regular rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon  salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

For the powdered sugar icing

• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons almond milk

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the coconut oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium high for about 30 seconds, scraping the bowl as necessary, until well combined. Add in pumpkin and vanilla and combine on low for a few seconds until fully combined. Gradually add in the bowl with the dry ingredients, mixing on low, until combined into a dough.
3. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the bowl with the dough from the refrigerator. Make 24 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized balls (a size 40 cookie scoop, if you have it) and place them onto the baking sheet. Lightly flatten the tops of each cookie with your hand.
5. Bake for 11 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from the oven and allow to set on the baking sheet; after 2 minutes, transfer to a wire baking rack. For best results, bake in 2 batches (refrigerate the dough in between baking); this gets the most even bake. If making the glaze, allow to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
6. To make the powdered sugar icing, stir together the confectioners’ sugar and almond milk until a smooth sauce forms and all lumps are dissolved (if using a thin almond milk, start with 1 tablespoon and increase by little bits until it is smooth). Place the cookies on parchment paper, dip a fork into the glaze, and drizzle in a zigzag pattern. Let the cookies sit at room temperature until the glaze is dry, about 20 minutes.

Looking for more of a side dish with pumpkin? Place this pumpkin masterpiece next to your turkey for a Thanksgiving explosion of deliciousness.

Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes
Recipe Via Steamy Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds of potatoes or sweet potatoes, peeled
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 15-ounce canned pumpkin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons miso paste or 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• minced fresh chives or parsley, optional
• Additional maple syrup to drizzle

Instructions

1. Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to boil, turn to heat to medium-low and cook potatoes for 20 minutes or until you can easily pierce with a fork. Make sure when you cook the potatoes, that the water is a very low boil (a bubble burp every couple of seconds) – a big, rolling boil will make your potatoes mushy. Drain water.
2. Mash the potatoes. Mash and stir in the remaining ingredients to the mashed potatoes until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Drizzle with a bit more maple syrup just before serving.

The pumpkin possibilities are endless! This ingredient is the star of so many recipes, including soups, breads, waffles, and even dips! Give one of these a try, and let us know how it turns out!