Pumpkin-Stout Bread (or Cupcakes)

While the desired weather of Autumn may still be of an ebb and flow nature here in Houston, the feeling of soups, roasted vegetables, and spiced baked goods is in full effect. It’s a moon day today, so I get the day off from my Ashtanga yoga practice, my teaching practice, and as much of my work as possible. On moon days, I like to visit with the sprouting fall veggies in the garden, snuggle with Marley, and bake.

On this moon day, I present to you Pumpkin-Stout Muffins. You can also make this in a 9-inch loaf, if that pleases you. I made mini-muffins (just shy of 4 doz minis) for easier sharing at the yoga studio tomorrow, but I think a loaf or full size muffins would behoove the bread or non-frosted teacake experience. Enjoy!

Pumpkin-Stout Bread

Mini cupcake liners [or coconut oil for greasing the pan if making a loaf]

1 3/4 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Pinch ground nutmeg

Pinch ground allspice

3 TBSP vegan butter

1 C pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 C brown sugar

1 TBSP Ener-G Egg Replacer [Mixed in 4 TBSP warm water]

1 C stout beer*

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line mini muffin pans (or grease 9-inch loaf pan). Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice in a large bowl.

2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat. Stir in the pumpkin and brown sugar, then stir in the egg replacer mixture. Finally, stir in the stout*. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Transfer the batter to the lined mini muffin pan or greased loaf pan.

3. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 14 minutes for mini muffins (about 1 hour for loaf). Cool thoroughly before serving.

Leftover pumpkin bread can be wrapped in foil or plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to a few days.

*If choosing not to use beer, any vegan milk will suffice. I suspect black tea or earl grey might also be a nice experience.

Option: Pumpkin-Stout Cupcakes

Add a dollop of cinnamon-ginger frosting (or pumpkin spice frosting, if that tickles your fancy). I made a buttercream frosting with Glenlivet & Pumpkin Pie Spice blend to top these bite-size beauties.

1 C Earth Balance Vegan Butter

2 C sifted powdered sugar

3-4 tsp Glenlivet

2 tsp vanilla extract

2-3 pinches of Pumpkin Pie Spice blend

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Apple Cider Granola

I am totally obsessed with the fresh apple cider I’ve been getting at the Farmer’s Market.  Apparently the Northern Virginia area has some wonderful apple orchards.  I had some store bought granola once that was sweetened with apple juice, and as I was chugging down yet another glass of cider last week, I thought, hey, I’ll copy that idea and make some granola out of this stuff.  Of course, if you don’t have apple cider where you are 😦 you could use apple juice.  This granola is not very sweet, so if you like your granola to taste like candy, add a little more agave nectar.  The actual apple flavor bakes off, leaving just a hint of apple tart and sweetness.

Ingredients:

2 C oats

1/4 C flaxseed meal

1/2 C slivered almonds (optional)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 TBS agave nectar

1/2 C unpasteurized apple cider

4 TBS melted Earth Balance Buttery Sticks

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2.  In a medium bowl, stir together oats, flaxseed, almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg.

3.  Mix in the liquids:  nectar, apple cider, and Earth Balance.

4.  Bake at 300 for 45 minutes, or until toasted and crispy.

5.  Let cool and store in an airtight container.

On This Day in History:  Chana Masala!  Mmm… so good.

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Pumpkin Soup

Wow, I’m actually posting a recipe!  It’s been ages.  My work friend and fellow vegan, Carrie, requested a pumpkin soup recipe, and I just happened to have a couple of little pumpkins lying around.  But most importantly, I didn’t have to work this weekend, so I actually had the time, ingredients and motivation to create a new dish and post it.  I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

4 C roasted pumpkin – 2 small cooking pumpkins

1 C light coconut milk

4 C veggie broth or potato water

1/2 tsp each:  chili powder, cumin, coriander

1.5 tsp salt

squeeze of lime

few cilantro leaves

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Cut pumpkin in half.  Spoon out the seeds and pulp and roast the seeds later.  Slice the pumpkin into wedges.

2.  Toss the pumpkin wedges with  a dash of olive oil.  Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 450 for 15 minutes, or until the flesh is tender.

3.  Allow the pumpkin wedges to cool until you can handle them comfortably.  Pull the flesh away from the rind, and collect in a small bowl.

4.  Put the pumpkin and 1/2 C veggie broth in your food processor and blend until very smooth, while slowly adding up to another cup of broth.

5.  When the pumpkin puree is super smooth, transfer to a medium pot.  Add the coconut milk and remaining broth, along with the salt, cumin, coriander and chili powder.

6.  As you’re preparing to serve the soup, add just a couple of drops of lime to each bowl and top with a few cilantro leaves.

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