Aji Cereza Chili Pumpkin Soup with Red Quinoa and De Arbol Chili-Spiced Pepitas

While driving home from the airport last week and trying to not lose my mind in the Bay Area traffic, a commercial encouraging listeners to "Spice up the holidays!" caught my attention. I had received a sample of dried peppers from Marx Foods this month to use in their "A Spoon & A Chili" recipe contest and I was still pondering what to make. At the same time, I was yearning to make a vegan pumpkin dish that wasn't a pie, for the holidays. As the traffic started moving again and the music began to flow over the airwaves, an idea had formed. Why not combine the flavors of the sweet woodsy pumpkin with the spicy earthy peppers for a dish sure to warm anyone up on a cold winter day?

Now to fit that warmth on a spoon...

This dish is a complete meal in a bowl, bringing the nutty flavors of red quinoa together with the sweet pumpkin and spicy Aji Cereza peppers. The Aji Cereza is a Peruvian pepper that's only slightly less spicy than an Habanero pepper measuring in at 75,000 Scoville units (the index used to measure the heat of a pepper). Marx Foods sells an organic version of this pepper which is pictured above (it's the cute little one that looks like a cherry!). I also played with the milder De Arbol chili (the long skinny chilies above) to make a salt which was used in roasting the pepitas. You can make this dish without the seeds, and I almost did (because I almost ate them all prior to serving... they were just that good!) but they add another flavor and texture to the dish which I enjoyed.

I chose to roast my own sugar pumpkin, but you could also used canned pumpkin. If you are roasting your own, just cut it in half, seed it, and bake it at 375 degrees for 60-90 minutes. You can also opt to use different milk substitutes but recognize this may affect the nutritional information. This soup freezes well, although the quinoa did not fare as well being reheated, so I would recommend making a smaller batch of quinoa fresh for each serving rather than freezing a larger batch.

Aji Cereza Pumpkin Soup with Red Quinoa & De Arbol Pepitas

Serves Six

Aji Cereza Pumpkin Soup
1 tbsp organic canola oil
5 cloves of garlic (sliced thin)
1 tbsp organic onion granules
2 organic Aji Cereza chili peppers (soaked, deseeded, diced)
2.5 cups mashed pumpkin (approximate yield from one medium sized sugar pumpkin)
1 tsp salt
.25 tsp black pepper
8 oz. vegetable broth
12 oz. light soy milk

Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, and chili peppers. Cook for one to two minutes until garlic begins to brown. Add pumpkin, salt, and pepper. Cook for another three to five minutes until pumpkin begins to bubble. Add broth and soy milk and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for ten to fifteen minutes. Use an immersion blender or blend soup in small batches and continue to simmer for another ten minutes. Pour around cooked quinoa in bowl.

Red Quinoa
1.5 cups red quinoa
3 cups water

Combine red quinoa and water in saucepan. Bring to boil and then cover and reduce heat to simmer for ten to fifteen minutes (until quinoa has absorbed the water).

Spiced Pepitas
Pumpkin seeds from one pumpkin
2 De Arbol chili peppers
1 tbsp pink Himalayan sea salt

Blend chili peppers and  sea salt together. This will make more powder than you need so store the rest in an airtight container for future use.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a baking pan with your preferred method (I brush canola oil lightly on the pan). Layer seeds in a single layer on pan. Sprinkle with seasoning salt and bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring the pan once during the baking time. Store extra seeds in airtight container and enjoy as a snack.

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Nutritional Information for 1/6th of soup -- 70 calories; 3 grams of fat; 10 grams of carbs; 3 grams of fiber; 2 grams of protein

Nutritional Information for 1/6th of quinoa -- 156 calories; 2.6 grams of fat; 27 grams of carbs; 3 grams of fiber; 6 grams of protein

Nutritional Information for 1 tbsp of pumpkin seeds -- 18 calories; .8 grams of fat; 2.1 grams of carbs; .7 grams of protein

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

With the race weekend over and academic classes almost complete, I feel like I can finally sit down and share something I have been munching on during these cold winter mornings. I know a number of people have their own special additions to oatmeal and I would love to hear your ideas! Here is my super simple pumpkin pie oatmeal.

1 packet plain instant oatmeal
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
pumpkin pie spice, to taste
stevia, to taste

Mix, microwave, enjoy!

I have also used my homemade frozen steel-cut oats and bulked it up with the pumpkin and seasonings. It is a perfect pumpkin pie substitute and a warm filling breakfast.

So how do you do your oats in the winter?

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

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With all of my preparations for the Las Vegas Half Marathon, I realize I haven't shared my fantastically delicious pumpkin recipes! I will start with the one that has gotten me through some evil ice cream cravings.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 packet Truvia (or your favorite sweetener)
pumpkin pie spice (to taste)
8 oz. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
4 oz. nonfat cottage cheese

Mix the pumpkin, truvia and spice to taste and freeze. Depending on how your blender works, you can freeze it in one block or smaller cubes.

Once frozen, blend with almond milk and cottage cheese.

Deliciousness!

Nutritional Stats: 155 calories, 3 grams of fat, 6 grams of fiber, 12 grams of protein

The Great Pumpkin Has Gone Missing!

While millions of Americans feasted on pumpkin pie this week, few worried whether there would still be plenty of that delicious orange vegetable after the Thanksgiving holiday.

It's official. In earlier months rumors of pumpkin shortages have circulated and many, including myself, laughed at the fear of those who stockpiled the canned pumpkin goodness.

Well the soothsayers were right. According to Libby's, the nation's largest producer of pumpkin, there is indeed a shortage:

"Due to poor weather conditions, the pumpkin harvest is smaller than we expected so it may be hard to find LIBBY'S Pumpkin this holiday season. The heavy rains throughout the harvest have made it nearly impossible to pick our pumpkins. That's because tractors and other equipment are not able to move through the saturated fields.

At LIBBY'S, we're proud of our quality and we know that you trust us to deliver the best. The longer the pumpkins sit in these muddy fields, the more likely it is the quality of the pumpkin has declined. So we've made the difficult decision that we will not pack any more pumpkin this year which means that through the holiday season and until next fall's harvest, LIBBY'S pumpkin will be hard to find."

The San Jose Mercury News reported that: "Some chains have been pushing fresh pumpkins as alternatives. But Patti Milligan, spokeswoman for Los Angeles' Sprouts Farmers Market, said the season for pie pumpkins 'is pretty much over, and only a few of our stores still have them.' "

Although there is a shortage, many stores still have pumpkin on the shelves and you will want to grab a couple cans while you have a chance. I have a couple of delicious pumpkin recipes coming this week that just can't wait for next season's crop!

However, once those pumpkins are gone for the season (and shouldn't we take pride in eating seasonally?), there are lovely squash alternatives! The Chicago Sun-Times published a great article on squash alternatives to the famed pumpkin. And Uncovering Food has a number of squash recipes that will help you forget your canned orange friend until 2010.

Baked Red Kuri Squash

Spicy Sweet Butternut Squash Fries

Winter Squash Soup

Red Pork and Winter Squash

Golden Nugget Squash with POM Reduction and Roasted Pinenuts

Toasted Squash Seeds

Oikos Miniature Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake

When my students performed well at a local debate tournament, I wanted to celebrate their success. However, I wanted to keep that celebration healthy and include my students with gluten and nut allergies.

As a health conscious individual who has a fetish for Greek yogurt, I was excited to hear about Stonyfield's Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt recipe contest. Combining Greek yogurt with some seasonal flavors, I came up with a celebratory treat that had my whole debate team cheering. These mini cheesecakes weren't just tasty and allergy-conscious, but the high protein and lack of fat in the Oikos yogurt made it a low-calorie treat for me as well!

Oikos Miniature Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Chocolate Drizzle

Crust:
3/4 cup brown rice flour
2 tbsp flax meal
1/6 cup tapioca starch
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
pinch of salt
1/4 cup of water

Filling:
5.3 oz container Oikos Fat Free Organic Plain Greek Yogurt
3/4 cup reduced fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup fat free cream cheese
1/2 cup egg whites
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Topping (Instead of including the chocolate in the cheesecake, I turned it into a drizzle so that I could leave it off a couple of servings for students who couldn't have chocolate.):
Chocolate (I use a gluten free, nut free, semi sweet chocolate)

Preheat over to 300 degrees. Coat a mini muffin tin with your choice of oil/spray (count additional calories accordingly). Mix crust ingredients together. Press crust into the bottom of each tin. Blend the cottage cheese, yogurt and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the remaining filling ingredients. Spoon the filling into the tins. Do not overfill. Remember it will bake up slightly.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheesecakes are firm to a gentle touch. Turn off the oven and let the cakes sit in the oven for an additional ten minutes. Remove and refrigerate in the tin overnight before loosening and removing.

The final optional touch is drizzling melted chocolate or dipping the cheesecakes into the chocolate to form a candy crust. I melt a measure amount of chocolate in the microwave (heat for 10 seconds, remove and stir and repeat until desired consistency).


My students LOVED the cheesecake bites and didn't realize how healthy they were until I told them after! The cheesecakes disappeared so quickly the other teachers in my department never got to try them. So it looks like I will be hitting the store for more Oikos yogurt to whip up another batch.

Each miniature cheesecake sans chocolate: 62 calories, 1.7 grams fat, .6 grams fiber, 2.8 grams protein

Do you want a chance to try your hand at crafting an amazing recipe that feature Oikos Greek yogurt? Are you a fan of Greek yogurt and just want to share your love with other fans? How about scoring some free coupons for this fabulous yogurt (that has amazing calorie stats... only 80 calories in a single serving cup!)? Become a fan of Stonyfield Farm Organic Oikos Greek Yorgut on Facebook today!

I am also excited to announce that Oikos is sponsoring a fabulous relaxation giveaway that starts tomorrow on Uncovering Food. I hope that tomorrow you will grab a cup of yogurt goodness, open your laptop, and visit us tomorrow to check out this spa themed giveaway :o)

Pumpkin and Brie Panini: Bauman Family Fruit Butters

If you have been following my food journals at Uncovering Me, then you may already know that I bought a Breville Ikon Panini Press and I am in love! It has non stick plates which means I don't have to use any added oils when I make sandwiches. And make sandwiches I have!

As a featured publisher at Foodbuzz, I was given the opportunity to try Ile de France Le Brie. I plan on sharing more about the cheese specifically in an upcoming blog, but I knew I had to try some of it in a panini. I also had just received a sampler of Bauman Family Fruit Butters. As I look to utilize more naturally sweetened products, I ran across this company who sweeten most of their fruit products with fruit juice or honey. Many of the products they just let the fruit sweeten itself! This results in an all natural and low calorie alternative to overly processed spreads you find on store shelves. You can find these fruit butters in stores or order them online! One of the butters was a pumpkin butter that is sweetened with fruit juice and is only 25 calories for a tablespoon!

Pumpkin and Brie Panini

2 slices Oroweat Light Whole Wheat Bread (or your favorite whole wheat bread, adjust calories accordingly)
1 tbsp Bauman Family No Sugar Added Pumpkin Butter
1.5 oz Ile de France Le Brie

Warm panini press while assembling sandwich. On one piece of bread, spread pumpkin butter. Place cheese on top of butter and top off with second slice of bread. Grill on low for 3 minutes. Enjoy!

This sandwich is sweet, spicy and creamy. With April being National Grilled Cheese month, consider this my contribution to the celebration. It is so delicious I had one for dinner last night and another for breakfast this morning.

Nutritional Information using the above named ingredients: 255 calories/14 grams of fat/7 grams of fiber/11.5 grams of protein.


There are many uses for fruit butters besides paninis. I have used all of these to sweeten my steel cuts oats in the morning. They are also great on waffles and toast as well as mixed into yogurt. I even used the butters in savory main courses! All of the Bauman Fruit Butters I tried ranged in calories from 25 to 35 calories per tablespoon and were bursting with sweet fruit flavors. I love that the company has been around for over 100 years and is still family owned and operated.

For those of you who enjoy fruit butters, am I missing another use? Please share ideas and links to your favorite fruit butter recipes here!

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

3/4 cup canned pumpkin
10 oz unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze
1 packet of Weight Watcher Vanilla Chai smoothie mix
ice

Blend.

2 points.

Cut down on the pumpkin if it is too intense for you. Upping the pumpkin would add a point.

Pumpkin and Black Bean Burrito

Make 7 Burritos

Each burrito has 216 calories, 7.3 grams fat, 14.4 grams fiber, 31.5 grams total carbs, 10.5 grams protein if you use the same ingredients that I did.

Ingredients (I have included total cal/fat/fiber/carb/protein for comparison of ingredients)

1 cup chopped pumpkin (49/0/3/12/2) roasted in

1 tbsp olive oil (119/14/0/0/0) and some garlic and rosemary

1 can of kidney beans, rinsed (350/1.75/21/80.5/24.5)

1/2 cup Sargento Shredded Mexican Cheese Medley (220/18/0/2/12)

Tobasco sauce, to taste

Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy Seasoning, to taste

Ancho Chili Powder, to taste

Garlic Salt, to taste

Seasoning Salt, to taste

7 Misson Carb Balance Soft Taco Tortillas (110/2.5/11/18/5 EACH TORTILLA)

Steps:

1. Mash roasted pumpkin and beans with seasonings to taste.

2. Gently heat tortillas in microwave for 10seconds or so until pliable.

3. Fill each tortilla with mashed filling and a sprinkle of cheese.

4. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and place burritos with fold side down. Spray the top of the burritos and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

I baked them about 10 minutes until lightly crunchy and then wrapped them and froze most of them for later. These aren't huge burritos but they are filling, especially with a side of fruit or veggies. Perfect post-workout mini meal!