Pumpkin is a favorite ingredient of mine, and they are in season. Here are a few recipes I love:
Mushroom and pumpkin lasagna
Ingredients:
4 c chopped onions
6 c chopped mushrooms
¼ c chopped fresh sage leaves
1 c marsala wine, vegetable stock, or a combination
8 oz. silken tofu
3 ½ c cooked, pureed pumpkin (canned is OK)
4c vegan ricotta (see recipe below)
¼ t ground black pepper
¼ t ground nutmeg
¾ lb uncooked lasagna noodles
½ c vegan “parmesean” cheese (Parma is a good brand)
1-2 c oil-free tomato sauce (1849 is a good brand, or make your own)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large pan, sauté onions in a little water unitl softened. Add mushrooms and sauté about 5 minutes until wilted. Add sage and wine or stock, simmer about 5 minutes, then set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together silken tofu, pumpkin, “ricotta”, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a large lasagna pan or one or two baking dishes (depending on their size) put a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Add one layer of uncooked lasagna noodles, very close together. Spread a layer of the pumpkin mixture over the noodles. Spoon about 1/3 of the mushroom mixture over the pumpkin mixture. Add another layer of uncooked lasagna noodles. Moisten with some more tomato sauce, and add another layer of the mushroom mixture. Layer some more of the pumpkin mixture, and top with the “parmesan”.
You can do this much ahead, and refrigerate until time to cook, then bake for about 50 minutes, covered with a layer of parchment paper topped with aluminum foil. Then uncover and continue baking about another 10 minutes.
Vegan Ricotta:
16 oz. firm tofu
4 t. tahini
2 t. umboshi vinegar (Eden Select ume plum vinegar is good)
2 t. nutritional yeast
2 t light miso
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix with your hands. Blend ½ the mixture in a food processor and return to the bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, and preferably overnight.
Pumpkin Muffins
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
¾ cup unbleached white flour
½ cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup raisins
Wet Ingredients:
2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer mixed in
4 tablespoons warm water
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
½ cup Wonderslim fat substitute*
¼ cup molasses
¼ cup soy milk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Whisk egg replacer into the water and set aside. Combine remaining wet ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well until smooth. Add egg replacer mixture and mix well. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix well (do not over-mix). Spoon batter into muffin cups. It will fill 12 medium muffin cups. Bake for 30 minutes.
Hints: Use a whisk when mixing the egg replacer with the water and beat until frothy. Let stand on the counter for about 3-4 minutes, then add to the other wet ingredients. Ener-G egg replacer is a flour product, available in natural food stores. It is used for leavening and binding.
*No longer available. Substitute baby food prune puree, or puree prunes with a little water in a blender.
Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
3c rolled oats
1 c sugar*
2t baking powder
1t pumpkin pie spice (or a mixture of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg)
1/2 c cooked pureed pumpkin (canned is fine)
1T EnerG egg replacer (or cornstarch) dissolved in 4T water
1c soy or oat milk
1/2 c rasins (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl mix dry ingredients.
3. In a small bowl mix wet ingredients
4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and add raisins if using
5. Pour into a 9-inch square pan (preferably silicon, or other non-stick, but you could just line the pan with parchment paper.
6. Bake 25-30 minutes.
Cool, and cut in squares. You can refrigerate these and warm briefly in microwave for a quick breakfast if you don't eat it all in one day.
* You can use less sugar if you prefer.
Pumpkin pancakes
2c whole wheat pastry flour
2T brown sugar
1T baking powder
1-1/4 t pumpkin pie spice (or mixed cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg)
1-3/4c non-dairy milk
3/4 c cooked pureed pumpkin (canned is fine)
1T cornstarch mixed with a little water
1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
2. Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl
3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
4. Heat a non-stick griddle or skillet and using a ladle, drop about 1/4 c of batter for each pancake. Watch very carefully and turn when bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look a little dry. Cook about 1-2 minutes on the flip side.
I like these served with plain unsweetened applesauce, but my husband prefers maple syrup.
Pumpkin Alfredo--so simple!
1c cooked pureed pumpkin (canned is fine)
1 package Mori-Nu silken tofu (14 oz)--other brands are fine, but Mori Nu comes in just the right size package
1c plain soy milk
1/2 c nutritional yeast
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 t nutmeg
freshly ground pepper
salt to taste
one pond whole wheat fettuccine (or other pasta)--cooked per manufacturer's directions
Blend all ingredients in a blender. Heat gently in a saucepan. Pour over cooked pasta. You may add vegetables if you like.
