By Willow Arlen on November 21, 2012 7
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Who doesn’t love pumpkin? According to my page-views, you guys are game for just about anything with the word ‘pumpkin’ in it. That is to say, you’re my kind of people!
The past couple months have been full of pumpkin, but with Turkey Day upon us I foresee a need to move on… to new recipes, new tasty adventures. Not that it will be the end of pumpkin till next year, but certainly the fad will have passed considerably after the holidays. Even I need a break after all the pie. So, to wrap things up, I thought I would share with you some of my top pumpkin recipes, as chosen by you, my readership. Because this year, you guys are high on my list of things to be thankful for!
When I started this blog just over a year ago, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. My experience limited, and my credentials, well, non-existent… all I knew was that I liked to cook, and bake, and most of all, to share. Blogging has given me that outlet to share my experiences – myculinarytriumphs, and my kitchen disasters – not only with my friends, but with you. My new friends, my second family, my readers. Without you guys, this blog would be nothing but a diary. Thank you!
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#1 – Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie – vegan, gluten-free, refined-sugar free
This smoothie tastes like pie, but feels like healthy. It’s quick to throw-together for a breakfast on-the-go, and will fill you up for hours. The idea for this sweet treat came to me right at the beginning of fall, with just the first hints of autumn smells in the air – just one sip and I was ready for the season!
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#2 – Pumpkin Ravioli with Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce and Balsamic Drizzle
Okay, my mouth is watering just remembering this one. Warm with the scent of toasted hazelnuts, the mingling flavors of rosemary and sage – sweet and savory hand-in-hand.
The concept of this dish was brewing in my mind for a long time, and I had a very clear idea of what I wanted it to be. From my mind to reality, unaltered – this is one of my own personal favorites!
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#3 – Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Topping – raw, vegan, gluten-free
The holidays can be pretty tough for anyone with special dietary needs, especially when friends or family members don’t understand or know how toaccommodatethem. I’m not on a restricted diet now, but when I was raw/vegan I got a lot of odd looks. After a while I got tired of explaining how, or why, or what I could or would eat… so instead I just started telling people to taste my food. Good food kind of speaks for itself, doesn’t it?
Raw cheesecakes were one of my favorite go-to recipes, and last year I decided to spruce it up for the holidays with a swirl of pumpkin. Even skeptics were impressed by this one!
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#4 – World’s Best Pumpkin Gingerbread Bundt Cake, with Toffee Sauce
Maybe I don’t actually have the authority to say it’s the world’sbest, but this is certainly the best pumpkin gingerbread cake I’ve ever tasted. This is true gingerbread, dark with molasses and spices, and mellowed just slightly by the pumpkin. Moist, rich, and flowing with toffee sauce, it is very reminiscent of an English Sticky Toffee Pudding. This cake was almost too easy to make, and will definitely be finding its way into my holidays this year!
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#5 – Pumpkin Pie Pancakes / Jack-O-Lantern Flapjacks
Pumpkin Pancakes are a favorite of mine, and this is my go-to recipe. I like to add lots of pumpkin pie spices, but those are optional if you prefer your pancakes plain. Since it was pre-Halloween, I decided to use a squeeze bottle to make fun and spooky designs. You could change these up or personalize them, or just make regular (tasty) pancakes.
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#6 – Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Streusel Topping – plus, the secret to making the perfect pumpkin pie
This one doesn’t technically make the list of ‘most viewed’, because it was only posted a few days ago, but with the hits still rolling in I knew I had to include it.
The Fiancé has always been famous in his family for making some seriously tasty pumpkin pies. Come Thanksgiving, everyone knows he’s on pie duty. The key to his success isn’t in his recipe (which is incredible), but in one of the most obvious of places – the secret is out, now!
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There you have it – my top 6. Honorable mentions include Pumpkin Pecan Sticky Buns, Pumpkin Gnocchi, and Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal. Mmm!
All of these recipes share one key ingredient – pumpkin puree! Check out my post on how to make your own puree, here: Pumpkin Puree Two Ways, and neither are from a can:
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I’m off to Chicago to visit The Family, make pies, and take some time to give thanks for it all. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
What are you making this T-Day?
cheesecake, Dessert, gingerbread, gluten-free, healthy, Holiday, pancakes, pie, protein, Pumpkin, puree, ravioli, Raw, Round-up, smoothie, spiced, Thanksgiving, Vegan
