October is one of my very favorite months, partly because I was born in October, and partly because I love autumn and all things pumpkin.
Pumpkin can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, and it’s chockfull of healthy nutrients that you can feel good about serving to your family. So happy fall ya’ll, hope you enjoy these recipes, especially the pumpkin soup that I came up with for my husband, James, who loves soup and pumpkin, so it’s the perfect match.
Lisa’s Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Soup
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper, optional
1 – 2 tbs. pure maple syrup
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Add broth to a saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Add pumpkin, mix well and reduce to simmer. Add heavy cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, Cayenne pepper, maple syrup, salt and pepper and simmer for about 15 minutes.
If desired, top soup with croutons, cooked crumbled turkey bacon, pumpkin seeds or an additional dash of cinnamon before serving.
Pumpkin Spice Cake
1 cup sunflower or safflower oil
4 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup milk or unsweetened almond milk
2 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. non-aluminum baking powder
2 1/2 cups raw sugar or natural sugar substitute
3/4 cup raisins or chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Maple Glaze
Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and 2 tablespoons maple syrup in a small bowl, mix until smooth. If glaze is too thick add more milk, if too thin add more powdered sugar. I like to use organic powdered sugar.
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease large Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl combine oil, eggs, milk and pumpkin. In a large bowl sift together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and sugar. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, add pumpkin mixture and blend just until moist. Stir in raisins or chocolate chips. Add nuts if desired.
Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan and bake 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Once cake has completely cooled spoon maple glaze over top allowing to spill down sides, and add sprinkles or chopped nuts, if desired.
Lisa Ann Panzino DiNunzio is author of Seasoned With Love, Treasured Recipes, Lisa Ann’s Seasoned With Love II, and children’s books Snicker Learns An Important Lesson and Readers’ Favorite 5-Star rated Little Twinkle Learns Her Purpose.
