Dinner in a Pumpkin

So I started our pumpkin themed day off right with these delicious pancakes. For dinner I made this delicious recipe that I got from a friend. I'm so glad I ran in her house when she was making this because it was a hit! As you can see I added some extra veggies to make it a little more colorful. You can really use whatever you have and it will be delicious!

Ingredients:

1 small to medium pumpkin
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 1/2 to 2 lbs of ground beef (I did half ground beef and half ground turkey)
2 Tbs gluten free soy sauce
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 1/2- 2 cups of cooked brown rice
in place of a can of cream of chicken soup I used:
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1/3 cup light cream cheese
1 packet of gluten free chicken gravy mix

Optional:
1 can of corn
1 green pepper, chopped
1 can of water chestnuts, stir in when you add mushrooms
pumpkin seeds, sprinkled on top for a crunch before serving.

Instructions:
Cut off the top of the pumpkin and thoroughly clean out seeds and pulp. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large skillet or pot, brown meat and then add onions. This is also when I added the green pepper. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms and cream of chicken soup replacement. Simmer for 10 minutes and add some water if it seems too thick. Add cooked rice and corn (if desired), stir.

Spoon mixture into cleaned pumpkin shell. Place lid back on the pumpkin and place the entire pumpkin on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for about 1 hour, until the flesh of the pumpkin is soft and tender. Remove pumpkin lid and serve. Scoop out some of the pumpkin flesh with the ground beef mixture as a side vegetable. Serves approx. 6 people.

This is a new Halloween tradition dinner that I'm going to look forward to make every year!

*This is the gravy packet I used.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Bring on Fall baby! 

I decided to have a Fall/Halloween day of meals so I started it off right with these delicious GF Pumpkin Pancakes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup Gluten Free All Purpouse Flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 large egg
1 cup milk, more if needed

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flours and dry ingredients. Add in the pumpkin, oil, agave, egg and non-dairy milk. Mix the batter until it is smooth and not too thick. 
* Omit the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and add a generous teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice if you have that on hand.

Serve with warm maple syrup.

Toppings: whipped cream and chopped walnuts


Stay tuned for more pumpkin themed meals...



Recipe adapted from: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2010/11/gluten-free-pumpkin-pancakes.html

Samoas Cookie Granola Bars

The picture doesn't do these justice but they are one of my brother's "favorite gluten free desserts" off all time!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted or in liquid state
1/2 cup light corn syrup (light in color - not lite; honey; or brown rice syrup or yacon syrup to keep vegan may be substituted)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
about 2 1/2 cups quick-cook oats (use Certified Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats if necessary)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch salt, optional and to taste

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted for drizzling, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line an 8x8-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine oil, corn syrup, sugars, and cook on high power for 90 seconds. Stop and stir the mixture.
3. Return bowl to microwave and cook for 90 more seconds. Stop and stir the mixture.
4. Stir in shredded coconut, oats, cinnamon, vanilla, and optional salt. Note - when adding the shredded coconut and oats, add them slowly, bit by bit, rather than all at once. I found the measurements worked perfectly, but because coconut oil, coconut, and oats vary, add dry ingredients until mixture combines, noting it will be quite wet. It solidifies and firms up as it cools.
5. Turn mixture out into prepared pan, packing it down with a spatula.
6. Optionally, melt the chocolate in a small, microwave-safe bowl, about 1 minute on high power, or until chocolate can be stirred smooth.
7. Even drizzle chocolate over bars. I followed the swirling pattern outlined here.
8. Cover pan with foil to prevent fridge smells, and refrigerate until set and firm, about 2 hours. Slice bars into desired shapes. Especially in warmer months, I prefer to store the bars in the fridge rather than at room temperature so the coconut oil stays solid and bars are firmer. They will keep for up to up to 1 month in the fridge, or up to 6 months in the freezer.

recipe from: http://www.averiecooks.com/2013/08/no-bake-samoas-cookie-granola-bars.html

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups (280 g) high-quality all-purpose gluten-free flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
7 1/2 ounces (1/2 can) solid packed pumpkin
1 large egg at room temperature, beaten
1-2  Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

*Pumpkin pie spice: combine 2 parts ground cinnamon + 1 part  ground ginger + 1/2 part ground allspice + 1/2 part ground nutmeg

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat mat.
  
  In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the brown sugar and whisk to combine, working out any lumps. Add the butter, pumpkin, egg and vanilla, mixing to combine after each addition. Add 1-2 Tbs of milk until dough comes together.
• Add the chocolate chips to the pumpkin dough mixture, and mix until the chips are evenly distributed throughout the batter. It will be thick but soft.
• 
  
  
  Scoop the dough by the rounded tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet, placing the dough about 1 1/2-inches apart. With very wet fingers, press each piece dough down into a flat disk about 1/4-inch thick. Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake, rotating once, until the edges are lightly golden brown and the tops are set. Approx. 10-12 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from: http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/soft-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies/