Mini pumpkins... speedy last minute halloween treat!
I have so many recipe photos stored up in my computer, ready for editing and blogging... finding dedicated time to do so is somewhat tricky at times! But I promise I will get back on it much more consistently as we gear up to the end of the year since sharing recipes is something I love so much!
I made this pumpkin themed recipe yesterday AND I had to no choice but to get on here and share because otherwise Halloween would be over! ha ha
If you are planning a gathering of some sort over the weekend, or need to take a treat to one, these could be a great bet. I found the flavours a little more sophisticated than regular bliss balls, so adults taste buds may prefer them, but i'll let you decide on that!
These are really quick to make. I used roasted pumpkin for depth of flavour and a less wet mix, but for speed you could use fresh raw chunks or puree from a can BUT in that case you will likely need to add extra oatmeal (or a similar dry ingredient) since the resulting mix will be wetter than when using roasted pumpkin which has a lot less moisture remaining. I used a smaller culinary pumpkin but I don't see why regular larger carving pumpkins would not work just as well.
Don't skimp of dusting lightly in turmeric for the orangey glow, it won't be overpowering to taste and really makes them look the part (though take the clove out before eating!)
Enjoy your mini pumpkins and any festive fun you might be having the weekend!
Recipe: Mini pumpkin bliss balls
Ingredients:
1 cups roasted pumpkin chunks or 1/2 cup puree
1/2 cup ground oats
1 cup dates*
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
2 tsp mixed spice (or to taste) (note- this is pumpkin spice if in the US)
a pinch of salt
a light dusting of turmeric to coat
* Just using dates was sweet enough for me, but taste the mix and add a little coconut sugar or stevia if desired.
Method:
Chop a fresh pumpkin into small approx, 2cm chunks and roast for 15 mins or until golden. I didn't coat my chunks in any oil. Note: you'll need around 1.5 cups of chunks as it will shrink during roasting.
Blend all ingredients together in a food processor until fairly smooth. If the mixture is very sticky add extra oatmeal or other dry ingredient.
I allowed my mix to 'set' a little in the freezer for approx 30 mins so it was easy to handle. Roll into balls and toss lightly in turmeric- add a little extra mixed spice to the turmeric if you like.
Press to form a squashed ball (pumpkin shape) and add a clove to the top for extra authenticity ;-)
Keep chilled until ready to eat.
No-Bake Choc Berry Beet Balls!
I am in love with beetroot power! Aside from the fact it looks super cool with it's bright red colour, it imparts a sweetness to recipes and well as a nutritional boost. Beetroot juice is known to be great for our blood, athletes love it as a pre-work out.
In relation to other so called 'superfoods' beetroot power is actually pretty economically priced, another winner in my view. I mix it into smoothies and porridge but here I have used it as a coating for these chocolate berry balls (you could make other flavours such as choc orange).
I thought they were quite halloweeny or even Christmassy... even though I am trying to resist thinking about Christmas- I imagine they would look awesome in a bowl alongside some spiralling covered chocolate balls! ha ha
What are you plans for Halloween... will you be celebrating?
Recipe: Choc Berry Beet Balls
Makes approx 15 balls
Ingredients:
- 1 cup packed dates
- ½ cup dried cranberries or cherries
- 1 cup cashews or almonds
- ¼ cup cocoa
- ¼ cup beet powder (plus extra to coat)
- ½ tsp cherry extract (or sub for orange extract is that’s more your thing)
Method:
Blend all ingredients together in food processor until you have a slightly sticky well blended mix.
Roll into walnut sized balls with your and dust in the beet powder. Allow to chill in the fridge to firm.
Halloween Chocolate Tiffin!
I originally made this Chocolate tiffin recipe in the run up to Christmas last year and I've recreated a Halloween themed version for Real Food Source using many of their ingredients.
It was a winning recipe back then and now it's gone even healthier with a green frosting in place of the dark chocolate topping. I put this question out on my Instagram page and on Facebook…
What makes it so green?
I had a few guesses and the answer is… Wheatgrass powder! I blended it with coconut oil to get the firmer texture once chilled and cashew butter for a creamy richness plus a little coconut syrup and vanilla bean for sweetness and flavour. You can't taste the wheatgrass once it's slathered over this beautiful chocolate base, I promise! You could probably use any greens powder such of spirulina or chlorella if you have those instead of wheatgrass, but I haven't tested those.
It's a no-bake recipe and that's always a winner, it's perfect for making with children too!
Head over to Real Rood Source to find the full recipe here!
Easiest ever pumpkin coconut soup and Halloween noodles!
Well it's been a crazy week and kitchen experimenting time has been in short supply. However at the weekend I did find some time to get in on the Halloween action for a couple of crazy simple savoury dishes.... no sweet halloween treats from me this year, my sweet tooth has been a bit overloaded with so much Wholeplus taste testing for my Christmas range being packed and delivered as we speak (more on that at the bottom of this post!!)
Today you have two recipes to play with, both done in under ten minutes and with a crazy short ingredient list to match...
Sound good to you? Thought so.
This pumpkin soup may well become a new winter favourite for me, smooth and creamy with subtle spiced undertones. I reckon it would work just as well using squash and sweet potato if you don't have a regular pumpkin to hand. The toasted coconut curls on top give a great chewiness, but of course you could add pumpkin seeds for some crunch factor instead.
For the noodles, I used vegan pesto I recently bought at a food fair, but it is also easy to make your own as I did here. You could add other spiralised veggies too, but I felt that courgette on its own was the most 'swampy' looking! I added black olives stuffed with cashew butter for eye balls, but that's optional really. If you don't have a spiraliser you could use a julienne peeler but it won't have quite the same effect since you'll just have straight noodles.
Recipe: Pumpkin coconut soup
serves 1-2
Ingredients:
- 2 cup grated/processed pumpkin
- 1 onion- finely sliced/processed
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 2 tsp garam masala (or spices of choice)
- a pinch of salt
- 1 cup boiling vegetable stock
- coconut curls for the top
Method:
Process the onion and pumpkin until you have very small pieces (to make for the quickest cook time).
Add to a medium sauce pan with the remaining ingredients (other than coconut curls) and bring to the boil then simmer for approx. 5-7 minutes until cooked.
Meanwhile toast the coconut curls in a dry pan for best flavour (or leave untoasted if preferred).
Using a hand blender (I cooked the whole thing in my Thermomix) blend the soup until totally smooth and creamy. Serve immediately and sprinkle the toasted coconut on top.
Recipe: Halloween swamp noodles
serves 1-2
Ingredients:
- 2 courgettes
- 1/4 cup vegan pesto
- handful pitted olives
- approx 2 tbs cashew butter
Method:
Spiralise the courgettes and stir through with the pesto. Serve into a smallish bowl so that some of the noodles hand over the sides for special effect :-)
Stuff the olives with cashew butter to make eyeballs and add to the top of the noodle bowl.
I served my bowl raw but you could cook the courgette noodles first and stir the pesto through to serve as a hot dish.
For more Halloween and holiday fun, checkout my 'holiday food and crafts' Pinterest board for more ideas to get creative with.
Wholeplus news....
if you are a subscriber to vegan/healthy eating food boxes you might see my goodies popping up over the next couple of months... just saying'. Also The Vegan Kind (which might be one such box...) have now extended their delivery to WORLDWIDE... how crazy awesome is that! So wherever you are in the world you can get hold of surprise vegan treats and lifestyle products each month!
Oh and lastly, if you are in the UK, I have recently launched my special Wholeplus Christmas range of treats... check them out here! Gingerbread, Choc-orange and Stollen flavours... all sugar free and gluten free.
Let's get festive!! It's almost November so I can start singing Christmas songs, right? ;-)
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Dip ya bones!!
It's very nearly halloween...and this is my second seasonal post! Look at me go, this must be a first.
It nearly didn't happen as this dip had originally been planned as a 'monster mash' of sorts after I was inspired by this recipe by the PPK and wanted to create my own. I tried a couple of different ingredient combinations but it just wasn't holding up the way I wanted to. I was so close to scrapping the whole thing BUT it tasted good and i didn't want to waste my efforts before binning it so I thought i'd spread a bit on some raw veggie sticks and crackers...and then it was suddenly obvious. I had made a yummy dip!
Happy times after all :-)
The first time I made this I used sweet potato and kale, then the second time I made it with cauliflower and kale. Both work well and you can sub roughly the same quantities for each. The photos show the cauli version and so that is what i have based the recipe below on.
If you not a fan of kale... you could go for this bean and pea dip, even quicker to whip up!
I think my main mistake in failing in the monster mash was not allowing the veg to drain and dry well enough- particularly the cauli version. If you want to try and make some little monsters, be sure to pat the veg dry before blending, then try piping it through a large piping nozzle and decorating. If it fails...well, you have a fab dip ;-)
Oh... a quick note on the crackers! I made a 'human' variation of this peanut butter dog cracker recipe still using the spelt flour and ingredients as noted but adding extra salt, spices and some nutritional yeast to taste. You could also use this gluten free cracker recipe which I think would also work really well. Use a bone cutter for the ultimate effect!! :-)
Last but not least! Let me welcome my little monster friend to you all. I carved him this morning to sit at the reception desk of the wellness centre where I work. I know I should have been studying but sometime other things take priority... and I got a little carried away. We've been playing a 'name the monster' game over on my Instagram and Facebook pages, so why not join in! What should we call him (or her).....?
Recipe: Halloween dip (1 large dip or 4 small monsters)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups chopped packed kale
- 2 cups finely chopped cauliflower
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tbs cashew or almond butter
- salt and pepper (plus other spices if desired) to taste
Method:
Cook the kale and cauliflower for approx. 8 minutes unit cooked (steam to retain nutrients). Drain (see note) and add remaining ingredients to the pan. Blend with a hand blender or transfer to a small blender and blend until creamy and green!
Best served immediately whilst hot with raw veggies or crackers or decorate as desired.
'Scary' baked sweet potato slices!
The days feel like they are slipping away so fast at the moment.... I just looked back at my blog feed and realised I've only actually posted one recipe this week (plus a couple of other non-food posts)
What's going on!
Life.
I have so many recipes I want to make, so many that have actually been made and are waiting to be turned into blog posts.... but just so little time to do it!
I blame the coaching courses and Wholeplus. It will all be worth it in the end I know, and foodie progress with Wholeplus can only be a good thing (updates on all that soon), it just gets frustrating at times when it feels like everything is pulling me away from sitting down to write you a recipe.
Ah, now that feels better. Strop over.
Ok, I'll keep this short and sweet not least because the recipe is just that.
I was originally inspired by Gena's halloween themed post and then simple added a savoury twist and some decorations of sorts! You see some green piping on some of the faces... that is a dip I hope to share next week, but that is only optional or you can also use this recipe as a base.
P.s the red sauce on the side isn't really a recipe- just some canned tomatoes with spices, but you could try adding this healthy tomato ketchup
I have one more Halloween themed post (the dip) that I'll try and get up early next week. Then you know what? I think we need some more cake back in our lives...it's been way too long!
Recipe: Scary sweet potato slices
Ingredients:
- 1-2 long evenly shaped sweet potatoes- cut into 1cm slices
- 1-2 tsp garam masala (or spices of choice)
- 1-2 tsp olive oil (or preferred oil)
Decorations:
- blanched almonds
- pumpkin seeds
- sunflower seeds
- walnuts (for brains!)
- ...plus anything else you can think of!!
Method:
Mix sweet potato slices with the oil and spices and bake on a lined baking sheet for up 30 minutes until cooked and slightly golden.
Arrange on your serving platter and then create faces with the 'decorations' of choice.
I'd love to see what you come up with if you make them!!
Pumpkin scones
I keep my promises…
…and as promised here is my pumpkin scone recipe to share with you all. It's late at night and my bed is calling but I was determined to post this recipe on Halloween itself- and I made it with 5 minutes to spare!
I took the entire batch of scones to work today to share with my colleagues as an afternoon snack. Everyone had a taste and there were many ‘noises’ of approval around the room. Maybe they were just being nice… well, why not find out for yourself!
I’ll save you the guess work- they were very yummy indeed! Warming and delicately spicy just the way you would imagine a thick cut wedge of moist ochre coloured tea bread.
If autumn were a food she would definitely be a pumpkin scone!
We ate the scones warmed from the oven split open and spread with butter and drizzled with a little syrup (well, they did and I had a dollop of soy yoghurt). They are perfectly moist and moreish all on their on but a topping always finishes it off nicely- nut butter could also work well!
I have to admit I feel as though I somewhat cheated a little. I had planned on buying a pumpkin and preparing the puree from scratch, but all the ones I saw in the shops were huge pumpkins ready to be carved. Then I remembered I had a bottle of pure organic pumpkin puree already tucked away in my baking box. Teamed up with some pumpkin seeds sprinkled across the top and you have your perfect recipe for all year round. I imagine the pumpkin could just as easily be substituted for squash or even sweet potato!
Recipe: pumpkin scones
Makes approx. 12 wedges (in a large circle)
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup rapadura plus ¼ tsp stevia
- 3 ½ cups mix of white and wholemeal spelt flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 3 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup coconut butter
- 2 cups pureed pumpkin
- Handful of pumpkin seeds
Method
In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Mix through partially melted coconut butter to achieve a crumb consistency to the mixture. Add pureed pumpkin and combine well until a dough is formed.
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough a few times, pushing it into a large circle a (generous) inch thick. Sprinkle the top with pumpkin seeds and press lightly into surface.
Place dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet and score the dough into 12 (or 8 larger) triangular pieces. It is easiest to do this once the dough is on the baking sheets ready to go straight into the oven as it may be hard to transfer to the baking sheet once cut. Don’t worry if the dough is sticky and difficult to cut all the way through, the segments should just serves as a guide and can be cut fully once cooked.
Bake at 200C degrees for approx. 15 minutes until golden. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.
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My crazy Halloween pumpkin 'babies'
It hasn’t bypassed my attention that Halloween is just around the corner!
Blog-land has been full of pumpkin recipes to make your mouth water for weeks, but I have yet to join in the fun. Don’t worry I have been keenly following all the developments and will be making my own pumpkin scones to share with my work colleagues on Halloween itself. I know this won’t be in time for you to have a go at making them in time for Halloween, but with all the ‘scary’ cake ideas already out there to choose from I figured this wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. Pumpkin and squash will be in season for a while now so plenty of time to make these scones in the weeks to come. Plus what I have put together for you below will surely raise a little smile and make up for the lack……?
In previous years I have taken part in a pumpkin carving competition with work colleagues. It’s just a bit of fun amongst the team but it probably goes without saying that I do have a tendency to get just a little competitive!
A traditional carving- oh no, not for me! But this is actually pretty simple and easily customisable- one pumpkin, a bag of satsumas and some embellishments and you're already halfway there!
Enjoy!
(p.s what crazy pumpkin creations have you made for Halloween?)
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Day to day you can always find me hanging out in these places: