Speaking of Pumpkins - Recipes Galore

The weather is changing here.  The wind is blowing fierce today.  October is a normally windy time in my town.  I am preparing for the cold and bundling up my rooms.  Winters are very expensive here so time to stock up and save. 

Speaking of Pumpkins:

Spicy Pumpkin Pie Almonds - Healthy Party Treats: http://goodfoodandmore.blogspot.com/2012/09/spiced-pumpkin-pie-almonds-healthy.html

Pumpkin Donuts Baked to Perfection: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2012/09/07/pumpkin-doughnuts-baked-to-perfection/

Very delicious vegetarian pumpkin and spinach pizza: http://goodfoodandmore.blogspot.com/2012/08/very-delicious-vegetarian-pumpkin-and.html#

Pumpkin Pie Spice Mixture: http://goodfoodandmore.blogspot.com/2011/11/pumpkin-pie-spice-mixture.html

Healthy Pumpkin Marmalade: http://goodfoodandmore.blogspot.com/2011/11/healthy-pumpkin-marmalade.html

Homemade pumpkin pie for the holidays: http://goodfoodandmore.blogspot.com/2010/10/homemade-pumpkin-pie-for-holidays.html

Homemade Luscious Lemon Meringue Pie: http://goodfoodandmore.blogspot.com/2010/10/homemade-luscious-lemon-meringue-pie.html

Free Recipe for Homemade Pecan Pie: http://goodfoodandmore.blogspot.com/2010/10/free-recipe-for-homemade-pecan-pie.html

How to make homemade apple pie with a flaky crust: http://goodfoodandmore.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-make-homemade-apple-pie-with.html

How to make Peach Cobbler A'La Mode with Ice Cream Recipes Included: http://goodfoodandmore.blogspot.com/2010/10/peach-cobble-ala-mode-with-ice-cream.html

How to peel, cut and shred a fresh pumpkin - recipes included: http://goodfoodandmore.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-peel-cut-and-shred-fresh-pumpkin.html

Spiced Pumpkin Pie Almonds - Healthy

Here is a very simple recipe for the holidays or anytime of the year.  The spice mix recipe is also listed below.  When making these spice nuts, use the best of ingredients and raw honey.  Raw honey has less sugar than processed honey and recently Natural News wrote on how a large majority of store bought honeys are not really honey at all.

Read: Shock finding: More than 75 percent of all 'honey' sold in grocery stores contains no honey at all, by definition (Updated)

Spiced Pumpkin Pie Almonds - Healthy

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups raw almonds
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup raw honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Sea salt to taste 

Directions:

1. Place the almonds in a bowl and add in the spices.  Mix well.
2. Then mix the honey and vanilla together and drizzle over the nuts.  Mix well.
3. Sprinkle the lot with sea salt and place on a shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Bake in a low heat oven of 325 degrees  for 20 minutes.  Stir the nuts half way through cooking.  Enjoy and you can double the recipe because the nuts will go fast.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice

This spice mixture can be used in your pies, milkshakes or ice cream recipes.  It is a very simple recipe that can be doubled or tripled for later use.  After you have combined everything, place in a tightly sealed jar, not plastic bag.  Glass is the best way to store any spice, herb or condiment.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons Cinnamon
• 2 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves

Put all the above ingredients in a coffee grinder and mix together thoroughly.  The cloves and the nutmeg are best freshly ground.  When adding this to a milkshake, add 1 teaspoon.  For a liter of ice cream mixture double this or add in 2 teaspoons.  You of course can adjust to your particular taste.

Related Articles

For my very delicious pumpkin marmalade: Pumpkin Marmalade (healthy included)
Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream: Recipe
Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Raw Date Bars with Chamomile, Marigold (Calendula) and Honey

If  you are on a raw diet or simply someone who loves to eat healthy, these date bars will fill all your desires.  They are very simple to make as long as you have Calendula and chamomile flowers in your pantry. 

Marigold (also known as Calendula officinalis) is not just a beautiful flower, but a natural medicine for many conditions. The marigold has now been placed in the books of cancer and anti-cancer cures, because it has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. The marigold is also able to help in the treatment of wounds. It is excellent in healing burns, stings and impetigo (a contagious skin infection.) It is also wonderful in the treatment of warts, corns and calluses. The flowers are also used in the treatment of many skin conditions from eczema to varicose ulcers.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/026958_Marigold_flowers_tea.html#

Date Bar Recipe

• 2 cups of date puree
• 1/2 cup of assorted nuts, chopped (I prefer pistachios, almonds and walnuts)
• 1 tablespoon dried calendula
• 1 tablespoon dried chamomile
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon bee pollen
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch nutmeg
• Water

Directions:

1. Place the nuts, calendula, chamomile, bee pollen, and honey in a food processor and slowly pulse.  Add in the spices and pulse again.  
2. Add in the freshly ground flax seeds and pulse again. Now slowly add in the dates and bit of water if the mixture gets too thick.  
3. Remove the date mixture and press in a pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Form the date mixture in a tight press.
4. Place in the refrigerator and leave for 2 hours before cutting.  Store in an airtight container.

Note: you may alternate ingredients as you like and you may want to add in some dried apricots, dried cranberries, coconut or even ginger.

Easy Veggie Burgers with Red Tomato Salsa Topping

This is a great vegetarian recipe and one that is so simple to make. Some veggie burgers contain fillers, but this one is very healthy and you can use or substitute the suggested vegetables.  This is not a vegan recipe because it contains eggs and cheese.

Veggie Burger

Ingredients

• 1 small potato, shredded
• 1 onion, shredded
• 1 zucchini, shredded
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cabbage
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese
• Salt and Pepper

Directions;

1. To shred the vegetables use any good quality food shredder.  Do not use the smallest grade. A medium grade shred is best.
2. Place all the veggies in one bowl and mix in the egg to bind the veggies with.  Add in the salt and pepper.
3. Mix in the cheese and place in the refrigerator for one hour. Remove the veggie mix and form in to small flat patties.  
4. Fry them in a skillet with non-stick spray. Wait till crispy brown on one side and turn over gently.  Serve on a warm bun with mustard, tomatoes and lettuce.

Red Tomato Salsa Topping

For those who want to avoid the bun, Weight Watchers produced a wonderful red salsa that tops the veggie burger fabulous.  Just remember you are using red vegetables.

Place in a bowl one chopped red pepper, 1 chopped red onion, 1 chopped red tomato, a small handful of coriander.  Add in some salt and pepper and a few spritzes of cold pressed olive oil and lemon juice.  Serve this right on top of the veggie burger.

Hot and Spicy Chicken Fried Brown Rice

This is my totally new recipe with a different twist.  It is hot and spicy and yet so healthy, you will want to scream for more.  Healthy food must be delicious.  If you are on a health food craze and looking for some simply wonderful recipes, check me out!!

My directions are here to help you understand more on the easy way to make this dish.  Most people frown away from brown rice because it is too difficult to cook. My way is very simple.  You simply put the rice in a baking dish and bake.

How to Make Hot and Spicy Chicken Fried Brown Rice



First you want to rinse your rice well in a colander with several rinses of water.  Let the water drain off well and then put the rice in a baking dish.  You will need 1 1/2 cups of good quality brown rice.



To the rice you want to add in 2 3/4 cup of boiling hot water, 1 teaspoon of salt, a bit of black pepper and any other seasoning you enjoy.  For extra flavor you can add in a small chopped onion. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil tightly and place in a very hot - preheated 450 degree oven.  Bake in this very hot oven for 50 minutes.  After the rice is done, carefully remove the foil and with a fork, fluff up the rice.

While the rice is cooking, place 1 large chicken breast in a pan of water and add in some dried sprigs of sage and a bit of salt.  Cook the chicken until well done.  Remove the chicken to cool and place in a food processor and pulse the chicken until you have shredded chicken breast.

Now you want to chop up your veggies



On a chopping board, cut up all the veggies you enjoy or have available.  I used one large leek, 1 red bell pepper, 1 large carrot and 1 cup of peas.  Place the peas and the carrot, which is diced, after being cleaned in a separate pan to heat. Fill the pan 1/2 up with water.



Cook the peas and the carrots for 1/2 hour or until the veggies are soft. Set the peas and carrots to the side.

Preparing the Pan for the Stir Rice

Take a large skillet and add in 1 tablespoon of virgin olive oil and heat.  Add in the leeks and bell pepper.  Saute slightly and then add in the peas and the carrots which have been drained.



Cook for an additional minute and move all the veggies to one side.  Add in one egg and let it cook slightly or until white.  Mix the egg together with the veggies and add in some seasoning, (salt and pepper)  Add in some sesame seeds and mix together well. Add the shredded chicken to the veggies and stir together well.

Take the rice that has been baked and add to the veggies.  Mix well and add in 1 tablespoon of harissa (hot tomato sauce) to the rice and a few dashes of soy sauce.  Cook the rice until slightly brown on one side. Stir and heat evenly.

Garnish with a large helping of chopped cilantro. Serve this very delicious meal with a side of sliced cucumber and some yogurt.  Some wonderful refrigerator ice tea would be just fab with this meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups brown rice
• 2 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 chicken breast
• 1 large leek
• 1 large carrot
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 cup of peas
• 1 small onion for rice
• Chopped cilantro
• 1 T. virgin olive oil
• Salt, pepper and sesame seeds
• 1 T. harissa
• A few splashes of soy sauce