While I (Deborah) thrive the most in the warmth of summer and longer days of light, the Fall season (and all things pumpkin!!) comes in as a close second favorite time of year.
In Ayurveda, pumpkin is noted to have many health benefits for mental and physical well-being and beauty (think pumpkin masks!).
Pumpkin is mildly sweet, cool in energy, and dry by nature, so it is very effective for pacifying the Pitta (fire) dosha. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It is excellent for digestion (including soothing gut issues) and helps promote healthy bowel movements. The minerals and tryptophan content can leave you feeling grounded (and perhaps pleasantly sedated).
Pumpkin is versatile because it can be used in both sweet (pies, smoothies, ice cream, pumpkin bread, pancakes/waffles) and savory dishes (soups, curries, roasted as a veggie side dish).
While hitting the drive-thru for a pumpkin spice latte might be tempting, remember that those drinks are typically made from artificial flavors and usually lots of sugar.
So, instead, satisfy your pumpkin craving by setting aside some time to make something from scratch using “whole” food ingredients that your body will thank you for.
Many of you already know that I (Deborah) have one of those susceptible bodies, so I have to be very careful about what I put in and on it and cook most things from scratch.
One of my favorite Thai dishes is pumpkin curry, so I was very excited to find a “clean” red curry paste that I could eat!
I also love to bake pumpkin pie filling without any crust and eat it like a pumpkin pudding. I use maple syrup instead of sugar and coconut milk instead of dairy milk. I love using the Spicely pumpkin pie spice mix because their products are organic, gluten-free, non-GMO, and non-irradiated (things you perhaps did not realize you might have to think about when buying spices – yikes, so much to know and keep track of. I get it).
So, to help kick off the pumpkin season, here are a few recipes you might like to try – enjoy!!!
Please comment below if you have other healthy pumpkin recipes you’d like to share.
Thai Pumpkin Curry
Ingredients:
1.5 tbsp coconut oil
2-3 carrots sliced
6 tsp red curry paste (Mike’s Organic Red Curry Paste)
3 tsp coconut sugar
3 tsp fresh minced ginger
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt (or sea salt)
1.5 tbsp garlic (optional)
1.5 tsp fish sauce (optional)
1.5 cans organic coconut milk (full fat)
1 cup pumpkin puree
3-4 cups of fresh pumpkin, butternut, or acorn squash cut into cubes or 1/2-inch wide rectangle strips
3 baby bok choy, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
1 bunch baby broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces, plus florets
3 tbsp lime juice
Instructions:
1. Heat the coconut oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add the carrots and cook until they begin to soften.
2. Add the curry paste, salt, ginger, and coconut sugar and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add the coconut milk pumpkin puree and stir. Then add in the pumpkin/squash pieces, broccoli, and bok choy.
4. Bring to a simmer on medium heat.
5. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to keep the mixture at a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and add in the lime juice.
Serve over your favorite organic rice (I love the Lundberg Organic Jasmine Rice myself!).
Pumpkin Pie Filling
Ingredients:
2 cans/boxes of organic pumpkin puree
1 can of full-fat coconut milk
6 eggs
1/2 maple syrup (or you can add a little more if you like it sweeter)
4 tsp organic vanilla extract (My favorite is the Simply Organic Vanilla non-alcohol base version)
3 tbsp organic pumpkin pie spice (I prefer the Spicely organic brand)
Pinch of Himalayan pink salt (or sea salt)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Add all your ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whip with a whisk or blend with an electric hand mixer.
3. Pour into a glass baking dish (8 x 8 inches) (or two pre-baked pie crusts).
4. Bake until the middle is firm to the touch. (I don’t usually time it, so I’m not sure how long it takes – I wait until it smells cooked and is firm!!).
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