Pumpkin!

Today's post is all things pumpkin.  Generally, whenever I get a pumpkin or two, I cook and mash and freeze the squash so I can use it all year.  Since I still have several bags of pumpkin from last year, and it's almost pumpkin season again, I pulled a couple ziplocs from the deep freeze for yesterday's meals and dessert.

Chicken in Savory Pumpkin Sauce
inspired by this recipe

4 T. coconut oil
1 onion, chopped finely
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 c. yellow tomatoes, skinned and diced
1/4 c. white wine (or substitute)
1 c. pumpkin puree
1 c. chicken broth
pepper
dried sage
fresh basil
1/2 c. coconut cream
2 large chicken breasts, diced
shredded zucchini

Saute onion and garlic in coconut oil.  In a large pot, stir together the tomatoes, wine, pumpkin, broth and spices/herbs.  Add the onion and garlic.  Simmer.  Using the saute pan, cook the chicken.  Puree the sauce, return it to the pot, then add the cooked chicken.  Melt a little more coconut oil in the saute pan and cook the shredded zucchini.  Stir the coconut cream into the sauce.  Serve the sauce over the shredded zucchini.  Very nice with cherry tomatoes.

For the sake of honesty and full disclosure and stuff, I just want to tell you that when you puree the sauce, you must be careful to not overfill your blender.  I was too confident, and as soon as I turned the blender on, the lid blew off and pumpkin sauce exploded everywhere.  My counters were loaded with gifted tomatoes and peaches, so the mess was, well, a big mess.  I screamed (full disclosure) and looked at the mess and screamed again.  My daughters came running in, certain I'd put my hand in the food processor.  They were fantastic, coming to my rescue, cleaning up the disaster.  I nearly swore, then censored myself, then almost cursed, and bit my tongue, then finally muttered dammit (more full disclosure) and thought it would make me feel better, but it really didn't.  I was going to be so amazing, multi-tasking dinner prep with dessert prep, but it got away from me.  The girls assured me they still thought I was pretty amazing.  When we sat down to dinner, I sheepishly said, "my throat hurts from screaming," and the girls smiled at me.

Coconut Pumpkin Squares
inspired by the Civilized Caveman (although I'm not sure how his turned out the color they did...as soon as I added the spices to mine, the brilliant orange pumpkin color was browned by the cinnamon)

1/2 Cup Coconut Flour

1 Tsp Baking powder

2 c. pureed pumpkin

1/4 Cup honey

3 Eggs

6 T. full fat coconut milk

¼ c. Coconut Oil, melted

1 Tbsp Cinnamon

1 Tbsp Allspice

1 Tsp Ground Cloves

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the coconut flour with baking powder and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine all of your remaining ingredients and mix well.

Add your coconut flour and baking powder and mix well.

Line a 8x12 pan with parchment paper, or grease with coconut oil.

Add your batter to the pan.

Bake in your preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until the bars pass the toothpick test.

Cool down and cut into squares.

Peach Pumpkin Ice Cream

2 eggs

3 peaches, skinned and diced

1 c. pureed pumpkin

1 can full fat coconut milk

3 T. date powder

1 T. cinnamon

1/8 t. cloves

1/8 t. nutmeg

Mix everything in a blender until smooth.  Freeze according to ice cream maker instructions.

I loved the pumpkin squares.  They tasted like pumpkin pie.  The ice cream was good, but I would have liked the peaches to be a little sweeter.  Powdered dates are not a very strong source of sweetness.  I might add banana to this if I make it again.  I toasted some shredded coconut (in a dry frying pan) to top this dessert.