Fat Free Pumpkin Cookies

Fall has always been one of my favorite times of the year, and most of that has to do with the food. Pumpkin is so versatile and delicious I wish I could have it fresh all year round. For the other 10 months of the year I have to settle for the canned stuff, which isn't too bad.

Adapted from this recipe

Fat Free Pumpkin Cookies

makes 12-16 cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)

1 and 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or less)

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 sea salt

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional) 

(The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup dried cranberries, which I didn't have, but recommend.)

Other optional ingredients: 

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Raisins 

Walnuts

Pecans 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl whisk together pumpkin, egg, and vanilla until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Fold in chocolate chips (and dried cranberries, if you're using them.) Fold together the wet and dry ingredients until just combined - do not overmix. The cookie dough will be very thick.

3. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets and slightly flatten to the shape you want your cookie. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for at least 3 minutes and transfer to a wire rack. Cookies stay fresh at room temperature for 3 days in an airtight container.

Even though these cookies have no butter or oil, they're nice and moist. I'd like to modify this recipe so they're even more pumpkin-y.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups cubbed potatoe

1 cup chopped carrot

1/5 cup frozen corn

1 cup cooked yellow eye’d beans

1/2 cup edamame

3 garlic cloves

1 white onion

1 tsp cooking oil

5 cups vegtable stock

.5 tsp tumeric

pinch of cinnamon

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

3 heaping tbsp salsa (optional)

Directions:

ONE: Peel and chopped all your veggies. Sautee onion and garlic in oil until fragrent and translucent. Add them to slow cooker.  

TWO: Add veggies, stock, and seasoning to your slow cooker. Set on HIGH and cook for 3 hours.

THREE: Make sure to soak your beans in cold water, over night. Start a pot on the stove with 4 cups of water. Rinse the pre-soaked beans and add them to your pot. Cook according to package instructions. I cooked mine for 50 mins on a low simmer.

FOUR: After your soup has been cooking for 3 hours, add your cooked beans. Cook for another 30 mins then add corn,  edamame, salsa and vinegar. Top with some no knead bread. Serve!

Crumbled Tofu & Spinach Salad

Sometimes when cooking tofu I can be lazy. That's why I'm glad I discovered this "technique" (I'm using that term loosely.) Crumbling your tofu into a heated, oiled pan, is the quickest and easiest way I've found to cook it. Usually I'll press my tofu before this, but let's be honest, who always has time for that?


Crumbled Tofu & Spinach Salad
Salad:
1/2 cup tofu crumble
1/2 cup chopped apple (I used gala)
sliced red onion
handful of chopped almonds
handful of dried cranberries
spinach

Dressing:
1 tsp hemp oil (olive oil would do)
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
splash of dijon mustard and lemon juice

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a frying pan. Crumble tofu into the pan and saute for 5-7 mins, until beginning to brown. Stir periodically. (I like to add some balsamic vinegar and honey to my tofu right before it comes off the pan, but that's optional.)

2. Add dressing to your jar, after tofu has cooled, add it as well. Then the chopped apple, cranberries  almonds, onion and fill the rest with spinach.

More Salad!

Mason jar salads are a trend I can get behind.

Asian Noodle Salad
Salad:
1/2-3/4 cup cooked rice noodles
1/3 cup edamame
1/4 cup each of grated cabbage and carrot
handful of peanuts

Sauce:
(there's no wrong way to make this sauce, it's according to your taste, so play around with it)
3 tbsp natural peanut butter
1/2 tsp sriracha
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp honey (or brown sugar)
1 tsp soy sauce
hot water

Directions:

1. Whisk together sauce ingredients, gradually adding hot water depending on desired thickness .

2. Cook noodles according to package directions. Defrost edamame. Assemble salad. Enjoy at a later time!