Baked Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal with Steel Cut Oats

It's autumn! My favorite part of this time of year is the excuse to dig up all my favorite pumpkin, butternut squash and other fall-flavored recipes. It's also time to stock up on some of my favorite spices like pumpkin pie spice, which is a homey mixture of cinnamon, ginger, lemon peel, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom. Think chai tea. I've had a few different versions of Baked Oatmeal and I have loved every one. I decided to put together my own version with a "pumpkin pie" twist and some wholesome ingredients. I love the texture of this because it can be sliced into squares or even scooped into muffin tins for a nice to-go breakfast that isn't a mess in the car. My kiddos gobbled this up. I have to make sure I plan a double batch next time!

Ingredients:
-2 cups pumpkin puree
-1 egg
-1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
-1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
-1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (a combination of cinnamon, ginger, lemon peel, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom - I used Trader Joe's brand.)
-1/2 teaspoon sea salt
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1 1/2 cups raw milk (could use almond milk, coconut milk or plain yogurt)
-2 1/2 cups steel cut oats (I used the Trader Joe's quick cook version because they are cut smaller and have a smoother texture.)
*raw honey or maple syrup to drizzle on top, optional


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8x8 pan/pyrex with olive oil.
2. Blend together all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
3. Pour into baking dish and cover with tin foil.
4. Cook 30 minutes. Remove tin foil. Cook remaining 15 minutes. Texture should be spongy & moist.
5. Drizzle with raw honey or maple syrup if you desire.

This is the original recipe that inspired me.

Thanksgiving Menu 2010: Grateful for the bounty

Thanksgiving 2010 Menu

Fall Butternut Squash Soup

Nana's Whole Wheat Crescent Rolls

Nama's Armenian Pilaf

Green Bean Casserole

Southwestern Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Mary's Free-Range Herb Roasted Turkey

Wild Rice & Goat Cheese Stuffing

Pomegranate-Pear Cranberry Sauce

Pumpkin Tiramisu

Nana's Blueberry Pie

Vanilla Ice Cream

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it's a chance to celebrate two things I love: family and food. At the Gilmore Home, preparing the Thanksgiving feast is just as much fun as eating it because we all get together to prep and cook together. This year our table will be filled with our family, my parents, Ericlee's parents, my brother and sister-in-law and niece, a cousin and her baby and any of my hubby's students who are brave enough to join the party.

Our healthy journey over the last several years has meant seeking out and creating new healthy versions of Thankgiving faves. We've tackled our menu little by little, one dish at a time. Last year we ditched the traditional sweet potatoes with marshmallow sugar overload and added a Sweet Potatoes dish with Pomegranate & Mint. This year I'm serving up a new spin on sweet potatoes that I learned from my friend Sam Jessup at our church's "Taste of Friendship" event a few weeks ago. His Southwestern Roasted Sweet Potato Salad has a memorable Chipotle pepper kick. It's also a great addition because it can be made a few days ahead and still maintains that pop of flavor and healthy ingredients.

The biggest change or step we took this year was ordering a turkey through Whole Foods. Ericlee did a little research and found out that these cage-free birds are from a local Sanger family. Mary's Free Range Turkeys eat a vegetarian diet. They never have antibiotics or hormones. No preservatives are added to them. The little brochure explains, "Mary's Free Range Turkeys are raised the old fashioned way: with plenty of space. In the sunny San Joaquin Valley of California, the turkeys are humanely raised by allowing them to roam in a stress-free environment. With cleaner living quarters, a healthier and happier turkey is grown resulting in a wonderful taste." Sounded impressive to us. The cost was only $1.99/pound - We thought it would be much more.

Maybe you're like me and you're already skipping ahead to all the creative ideas you can employ with turkey after Thanksgiving. Here are some of my fave Thankgiving Leftovers options. This year I'm going to try out Turkey Mole - a recipe from my chef friend Willie Bezemer. I can hardly wait for the meal after Thanksgiving!

Leave us a comment. What's new or traditional on your menu this year? How are you using local ingredients to celebrate?

Pumpkin-Pecan Whole Grain Waffles

Yesterday my hubby woke up and asked if we could have Pumpkin Waffles. I thought that was a funny request since I've never made Pumpkin Waffles before. We do pumpkin pancakes quite often. Of course, I'm always up for the culinary challenge so I made a face at him and set to work.

In case you haven't noticed, this time of year we throw pumpkin into everything so I figured, why not? If you're looking for something a little different to grace your breakfast table, try these. We made a double batch and froze some for another breakfast. You could always skip the pecans if you're not a fan or even substitute with walnuts or almonds. Pumpkin is a great source of fiber and it's full of carotenoids, which are antioxidants. Since it's cold and flu season, we're always looking for ways to incorporate antioxidants into our meals.

Did you know that an ounce (9 grams) of pumpkin seeds has the same amount of protein as an ounce of meat? (Check out The Doctors Book of Food Rememdies). You could even throw some toasted pumpkin seeds on top of the waffles.


Pumpkin-Pecan Whole Grain Waffles


½ cup butter, melted

1 cup pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 ½ cups raw milk

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

½ cup wheat germ

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ cup chopped pecans

Maple syrup


Directions:

1. Using a mixer, beat eggs and raw milk. Add pumpkin and butter.

2. Add flour, wheat germ and baking powder. Mix.

3. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and sea salt. Mix.

4. Add chopped pecans.

5. Follow instructions on waffle maker. Serve drizzled with real maple syrup.

Saturday Pantry Challenge: Grand Finale Harvest Pumpkin Chili

What's for Breakfast:
Pumpkin Pancakes

Snacks:
Pretzels
Almonds
Dried Fruit
Zookies

What's for Lunch:
Leftover Italian Wedding Soup
Spiced Egg Salad Sandwiches
Organic Applesauce

What's for Dinner:
Harvest Pumpkin Chili (Recipe below)
Whole Wheat Toast
Toasted pumpkin seeds

Today was Day 6, our grand finale to this crazy Great Pantry Challenge. We are pretty excited to have made it through this week. The goal was to save money and reflect on what it is like to use what we have (not what we buy or import) like so many others in the world are forced to do on a regular basis. The result was eating pretty creatively and learning some great lessons in the process.

Lessons we Learned this Week:
1. Monday: Cooking extra servings or batches makes an easy meal for another night.
2. Tuesday: The key to good eats is living in community.
3. Wednesday: Be creative with what you have.
4. Thursday: You save more if you stay out of the store.
5. Friday:  Fresh fruits and veggies are a must.
6. Saturday: The more you save, the more you have to give away.

The best part of this challenge was doing it with friends. I know several friends including Brandy, AnnMarie, Jen, Katie, Sandra and Susan were joining us. I gained a lot from walking the journey with them, reading their blogs and hearing their comments and encouragement along the way.

Our family has decided to start a new challenge as a result of what we've learned this week. Our friends inspired us to do this one. We plan to eat rice and beans every Monday night from now until Christmas. In a small way, this will force us to eat simply like many of our friends in Haiti and across the globe. Sure, we will save money in the process. Beyond that, we also hope this meal will serve as a time for meditation and prayer for those who have less than we do.

Today is Halloween, which we don't really celebrate, but we do feel the effects of lots of candy and treats being around. We struck a deal with our daughter Meilani that if she trades in all the candy people give her(the yucky stuff full of high fructose corn syrup and harmful dyes) than she can pick out a toy or other treat. Last year she picked a coloring book and trip to Jamba Juice. When I asked Meilani today what she wanted, she asked if I could buy her this T-shirt. Our friends are adopting two kids from Ethiopia and the proceeds go to the Phillips family adoption and an orphanage in Ethiopia. I did not prompt her to ask for this. She saw me admiring the T-shirts online the other day and remembered. Sure, $15 is a little more than I planned to spend on this trade but how could I pass up such a cause - especially when we just saved a load of money on our Pantry Challenge.

I challenge you to think about ways you and your family can share your abundance with others. Maybe it's inviting a neighbor to a meal. Maybe it's sponsoring a child in an orphanage. Maybe it's having your kids pick out a Christmas gift from the World Vision catalog or Compassion International that they can give to someone across the globe this year. Maybe it's packing sack lunches for the homeless and dropping them off throughout the season when you run into someone hungry on the street. These are just a few ideas of things our family has done in the past. We would love to hear your ideas for other ways to share.

Sometimes this little voice inside me asks, why did I just work so hard to save money on something like a Pantry Challenge when I'm going to give it all away. Seems a little backwards. In reality, it's forwards. Some call it a "Pay It Forward" principle. Others call it "The Treasure Principle." In our family, we have learned that the more generous we are with the food and resources we have, the more blessing we experience in our own home. Pass it on.

Today's meals included Pumpkin Pancakes, a regular on our meal list at this time of year. My hubby loves big breakfasts and we can always use an excuse to throw pumpkin and cinnamon in something. (Ericlee tells me that speaks love to him.) Lunch was a smorgasboard of leftovers - egg salad and Italian Wedding Soup from earlier in the week. Then we assembled our Grand Finale Dinner: Harvest Pumpkin Chili. I keep hearing people talk about "pumpkin chili." I've never had it before. I read a bunch of recipes and took a look at what was left in the pantry. Voila! This new recipe was created. We made it mostly vegetarian because of our lack of meat by the end of the week but next time I might saute up some ground turkey or beef to add to the pot.

A Note from our Nutrition Guy (aka my hubby Ericlee):
Pretty colors on your plate are not only a feast for your eyes but also for your heart.  The pigments that give fruits and vegetables their bright hues are called carotenoids.  The most carotenoid rich foods are the yellow, orange, and red vegetables like pumkins.  These carotenoids are similar to an antioxidant.  They neutralize free radicals (oxygen molecules that cause havoc in the cells) by offering up their own electrons. Thus it helps to prevent your cells from being damaged.  If you want to stay away from cancer, then enjoy this Fall season by eating pumkins in all varieties.  There is actually a higher concentration of carotenoids in canned pumkins than in a raw whole pumkin. 



Harvest Pumpkin Chili

*As is, this is a vegetarian chili because that's what we had in the pantry. I would add 1 lb. grass-fed ground beef or ground turkey for a meat-eater's version.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil)
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cups butternut squash, 1/2-inch cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-oz. can organic tomato sauce
1 6-oz. can organic tomato paste
2 cups pumpkin puree (We halved and cooked a small sugar pumpkin for one hour at 250 degrees & then scooped out the flesh for our puree. You could use canned puree as well.)
2 cups organic chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chives, dried or freshly chopped
2 cups black beans (canned or soaked & cooked until tender)
2 cups frozen or fresh corn
*Garnish: Fry up 3 slices turkey bacon and crumble on top or finely chop a small bunch of green onions and put on top chili with sour cream.

1. Heat butter or olive oil a large stock pot. Add chopped onion, carrots, green pepper and garlic and sweat until soft.
2. Add chili powder, chipotle, cinnamon, salt and chives. Stir in and let simmer 15 minutes so flavors meld.
3. Stir in cooked beans and corn. Cook additional 10 minutes.
4. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped cooked turkey bacon or green onions.

Wednesday Pantry Challenge: Dessert = Chocolate-Pumpkin Ravioli

What's for Breakfast:
Cranberry-walnut toast with Butter (Dorina)
Trader O's (Meilani)
Ellie Krieger's Maple Granola (Ericlee)
Banana (Ericlee)
Hibiscus-Cranberry Juice (from Trader Joe's)

What's for Lunch:
Curried Egg Salad sandwiches
Leftover Fall Flavors Vegetarian Lasagna (dinner last night)
Grapes

What's for Dinner:
Taco Bar with tortillas, ground beef, cabbage, cheese, salsa, tomatoes, sour cream, avocadoes & rice (by Troy & Allison Vasquez)
Green Salad with Almonds and Avocadoes & Ranch Dressing (by Stacie & Forest Benedict)
Dessert: Chocolate-Pumpkin Ravioli (recipe below)

Day Three of The Great Pantry Challenge solidifies more of my theory from yesterday: Living out of our pantry has been no real sacrifice because we live in community. Tonight we enjoyed a fabulous dinner with our Small Group friends. We get together with three other couples and their kids every other week for a shared meal and a chance to support each other in this season of life. We each bring an assigned part of the meal - Salad, Side Dish, Entree or Dessert. We rotate houses so the family hosting doesn't feel the burden of the Entree (and the dishes) too often. For the last five years we have celebrated community through food, conversation around the table, prayer and encouraging our kids to play together.

Tonight it was our turn to bring the dessert. Since it's fall, I had to bust out my favorite fall flavors - pumpkin & chocolate. (Yes, that's what was in the pantry!) At first, I thought about some kind of chocolate tart but I didn't really have time to mix up a crust, chill it and roll it out. After scrounging through the refrigerator and cupboards, I also found some wonton wrappers from the cooking contest I entered at The Big Fresno Fair two weeks ago. I thought about a dessert I saw an Italian chef once make - Chocolate Ravioli. What about Chocolate-Pumpkin Ravioli? That's a Harvest party in your mouth as far as I'm concerned. (Find recipe below.)  The warm chocolate melded with the spiced pumpkin inside a crispy wonton is so flavorful we all wished there were more.

My favorite part of this challenge is that it forces me to be creative with what I have. Who says we can't eat healthy and delicious food? Who says eating out of the pantry has to be boring? Not me. That's why I tackled dessert tonight with the enthusiasm of a die-hard football fan at a home game. This is how new recipes are created. I encourage you to try something new this week. Grab a few ingredients you always have on hand and see what happens when you marry them together. It might just be a family hit!

A Note from our Nutrition Guy (aka my hubby Ericlee):
Chocolate is not only a yummy treat, it also happens to be a great choice for dessert if you do it right. Some chocolate choices are high in sugar, high fructose corn syrup and other harmful chemicals for your body. Chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa is better for you. Choose chocolates that are labeled "semi-sweet" or "dark chocolate" and avoid milk chocolate or chocolate with other additives.

You've probably heard that chocolate is full of antioxidants. What are antioxidants? They are compounds that protect our cells from damage. Call them the policemen of your body. Policemen keep our city safe and fight off the offenders. Antioxidants do the same. They keep our body healthy and fight off cancer cells.

With Halloween right around the corner, you might choose a chocolate bar over a piece of hard candy filled with poisonous dyes. Trader Joe's as well as other stores are selling small-sized chocolate bars (with no additives) just for the occasion. That is, if you're looking for an alternative to the mainstream Halloween treats. We trade our daughter for non-food items or Jamba Juice cards.



Chocolate-Pumpkin Ravioli

Ingredients:
1 cup organic pumpkin puree (canned or from a baked sugar pumpkin)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate bar, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon cream cheese or mascarpone cheese, softened
1 egg
30 wonton wrappers
olive oil spray or 2 tablespoons olive oil (& pastry brush)
3 tablespoons organic butter

Garnish:
mini chocolate chips
mint leaf
whipped cream

1. Mix together filling ingredients: pumpkin, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, chocolate and cream cheese in a small bowl.
2. Cover two cookie sheets with parchment or waxed paper.
3. Beat egg in small bowl and set at work station with pastry brush.
4. Brush the edges of a wonton wrapper with egg. Add teaspoon of filling to corner of wonton wrapper. Fold wrapper at a diagonal, forming a triangle shape. Press edges together . Lay out on cookie sheet. Continue filling wontons, (I like to do two at a time) until they are all filled.
5. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray wontons with olive oil spray or brush with olive oil. Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
6. Remove from oven and serve 3-4 at a time on a dessert plate. For garnish, sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, a mint leaf or add a spoonful of whipping cream.

*This is a dessert you will want to do the final steps right before serving so the chocolate is warm and melty.

Recipe of the Week: Chocolate-Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Ok, friends. There's probably nothing I like more during this season than the flavors of pumpkin and chocolate melded together in a yummy comfort food dessert. That's exactly why my daughter and I decided it was time to do some experimenting in the kitchen. I shared this recipe at our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting a few weeks ago. This is a perfect way to put day-old or hardened baguettes to good use. If you're looking for a snazzy dessert for your Harvest Party or even a decadent Fall Brunch idea, check this out!

Chocolate-Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
-1-pound loaf whole wheat bread (or consider using leftover bagels, baguette, croissants or other whole grain breads)
-olive oil spray
-6 large eggs
-2 cups raw milk
-1 cup heavy cream
-2 cups pumpkin puree (15-oz. can organic pumpkin)
-1 tablespoon vanilla
-1/2 cup organic brown sugar or 1/3 cup honey
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips or grain sweetened chocolate chips
-1/4 cup maple syrup

1. Cut the bread into 1-inch chunks.
2. Spray a 2-quart oven-proof dish with olive oil spray. Add bread chunks to  dish.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, milk, heavy cream, vanilla and pumpkin.
4. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir in chocolate chips
5. Pour mixture over the cubes of bread. Let sit 20 minutes to soak into bread.
6. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Drizzle maple syrup on top & serve.

Cooking Club: Fall Flavors with the Friends

This Saturday we had a Fall Flavors Cooking Club with our friends, the Freelands and the Benedicts. Our original intention was to go apple-picking somewhere in the Valley and then bake with our pickings. After several days of searching the internet and making phone calls to local farms, I discovered we missed the boat this year on apple-picking. We'll have to plan a trip for next year to the illustrious Apple Hill. We decided on the Hillcrest Pumpkin Patch in Reedley as an alternative for some fall fun. The pumpkin patch was a winner with corn mazes, a hike up to a train, mounds of pumpkins to choose from and even a giant tree swing. After we frolicked in the fall weather we headed to the kitchen for some good eats.

Our menu included:

Chicken with Spiced Apples

Pumpkin Soup

Apple Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Marshmallow Frosting

The Pumpkin Soup was a recipe created right in the Freelands kitchen with some fresh ingredients we picked up at the Vineyard Farmer's Market, from Stacie's friend's farm and from the pumpkin patch. The result was a fabulous pureed soup with a secret ingredient - coconut milk - that made it memorable.

Bon appetit!

Pumpkin Party Soup

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
-2 tablespoons organic butter
-1 red onion, chopped
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 small sugar pumpkin (2 cups, chopped - could substitute canned)
-4-5 sweet potatoes (2 cups, chopped)
-1 medium butternut squash (2 cups, chopped)
-1 quart organic vegetable broth
-1 bunch bok choy or celery (1 1/2 cups, chopped)
-2 teaspoons salt
-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-2 teaspoons curry powder (We used Cost Plus World Market's mild curry.)
-1 15-oz. can organic coconut milk (We used light from Trader Joe's.)
-1/2 cup green onions, chopped for garnish

1. Chop onions and mince garlic. Add to large soup pot with butter. Cook until onions are translucent.
2. Meanwhile, get to work chopping the other veggies. Peel and quarter pumpkin, sweet potatoes and butternut squash. Clean out any seeds and then coarsely chop hard flesh into 1-inch cubes. Add to soup pot.
3. Add vegetable broth and simmer vegetables approximately 20 minutes until soft.
4. Add chopped bok choy (or celery). Add salt, black pepper, curry powder and cook 20 minutes more.
6. Using and immersion blender or other appropriate appliance, puree with soup in batches. When soup is smooth, add coconut milk.
7. Serve with green onions for garnish.

**We were blessed to have Nathan Freeland and my sweet hubby to help with the veggie chopping and pureeing of the soup, but if you want to save time you might consider squash that is already peeled and diced from places like Trader Joe's and Costco.

Here are some more of our favorite Fall Flavors recipes:

Harvest Apple Salad

Squash & Corn Chowder

Chili Pizazz & Honey Cornbread Muffins

Butternut Squash Soup

Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Harvest Banana-Pumpkin Muffins

Recipe of the Week: Harvest Banana-pumpkin Cupcakes with Honey-cream Cheese Frosting

If you're looking for a fun activity to do with your family for Halloween or Thanksgiving, try these healthy-yummy cupcakes and decorate them together. Serve them up for a boo-tiful addition to your harvest party. This recipe also makes great mini loaves that you can wrap in foil and tie with a ribbon for a holiday Housewarming gift or serve at your Thanksgiving brunch.

Halloween Banana-Pumpkin Cupcakes
with Honey-Cream Cheese Frosting

3 cups flour (I use 1 cup unbleached white and 2 cups whole wheat or spelt)
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon flaxseed (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15-oz. can pumpkin (100% pure)*
4 large eggs
1 cup honey or 1 1/4 cup organic brown sugar
2 medium mashed bananas
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 bag chocolate chips (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Frosting:
1 8-oz package cream cheese
1/4 cup honey (or until consistency you like)

Garnishes:
1/2 bag chocolate chips
chocolate-covered sunflower seeds (They sell them at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's and they're a great alternative to M&Ms with no harmful dyes!)
mint leaves for the green pumpkin stem

Makes 24 muffins + 3 mini loaves or 2 large loaves (cook 1 hour).

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 muffin tins or use paper cups.
2. Mix eggs, butter, honey/sugar, pumpkin and banana.
3. Mix in dry ingredients.
4. Add chocolate chips & nuts. Do not overmix.
5. Pour into loaf pans and bake 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool completely on rack. Meanwhile, add softened cream cheese to mixer. Blend until smooth. Add a bit of honey to the consistency you want for your frosting - not too runny.
7. Frost with cream cheese frosting. Garnish with chocolate-covered sunflower seeds or remaining chocolate chips used to make jack-o-lantern faces. Mint leaves make fun all-natural pumpkin stems. (We skip the frosting for the mini loaves so they keep longer.)

*If you'd like to use real pumpkin, check out this technique.

Recipe of the Week: Pumpkin Pancakes

When the crisp temperatures of fall and the colored leaves appear, so do pumpkins and other kinds of squash. In addition to putting them in all different recipes, we love to use them for decoration and craft projects at our house. Pumpkin also happens to be one of those awesome power foods. Pumpkin is high in fiber and iron. It's a beta-carotene king which protects against cancer of the esophagus, lungs, stomach.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
2 cups raw milk or buttermilk (even plain yogurt will work)
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup spelt flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups pumpkin pureed/ 1 15-oz. can pumpkin (organic)


maple syrup
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1. Melt butter in the skillet you plan to use for your pancakes. Set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, beat eggs and milk.
3. Add flours (feel free to mix different flours as you desire), baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. *Note: If you are using whole wheat flour or spelt, you may want to add more liquid to the batter. Different flours thicken up this batter differently.
4. Blend well. Add pumpkin puree.
5. Pour or spoon batter onto griddle/skillet. Flip when little bubble form on top of pancakes (2-3 minutes).

6. Transfer to a plate and serve with maple syrup and chopped nuts sprinkled on top.



**I love experimenting with squash. Here are some other recipes I've created that use different types of squash. Do you have a favorite fall squash recipe? Please share about it in the comments section!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Banana-pumpkin Mini Loaves or Cake
Thanksgiving Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe of the Week: Chocolate Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies

Ok, friends. I know some of you have been begging me for this recipe. I've been on a quest for a long time for a "healthy" but yummy cookie. I think I found one - at least one that passes our family's chewy, chocolatey, yummy test. I have to give a nod to my friend Lisa Pearmain from Arizona who inspired this recipe. She served up her own version this summer. I've doctored it a bit to make it with a healthy twist.

1 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups quick or old fashioned oats uncooked
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup organic raw brown sugar
1 slightly beaten egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup organic canned pumpkin (found in baking section of market)
1 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
3. Mix butter and yogurt then gradually brown sugar.
4. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well.
5. Mix in pumpkin and then stir in chocolate chips.
6. Bake 18-20 minutes or until cookies are firm and lightly browned. Cool then eat or store!

Note: Makes about 3 dozen cookies if you use heaping teaspoon size dough. I double the recipe because one can 15-ounce pumpkin has 2 cups as does a package of chocolate chips. Not to mention, these cookies go fast. Enjoy!