HAPPY HALLOWEEN! put a punkin on it!

it is the most wonderful time of the year (for me)  ha!

it is the one time of the year you can dress up as anything you ever wanted, drop all of your inhibitions, and go out and have a blast!

to celebrate.... let's talk pumpkins! i know you are probably sick of making pumpkin cookies and pumpkin muffins, so try out some of these ideas instead!

• pumpkin soup! mix one can of pumpkin puree  with your favorite veggie broth and a couple of cups soymilk. season it with nutmeg, sugar, salt, and pepper for a new holiday favorite! p.s. coconut is also super yummy in pumpkin soup!
• pumpkin on a pizza! add a cup or two of diced or chunked roasted pumpkin on your favorite vegan pizza as a topping. deliciousssss.
• vegan pumpkin latte! check out this amazing recipe for a yummy halloween beverage!
• mashed pumpkin-cauliflower delight! add some pureed pumpkin to your cauliflower mash! add vegan margarine, and season with cinnamon and nutmeg and a tad bit of your favorite sweetener for a yummy side dish!
• creamy pumpkin dip! add equal parts pumpkin puree and tofutti better than cream cheese in a bowl. sweeten with agave or maple syrup (what you prefer) and season with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to taste. add a dollop of vanilla or orange extract for some flavor. you can also use pumpkin pie filling and mix it with the cream cheese. pumpkin pie filling is already seasoned, but you still might want to add the extracts for added flavor. your crackers, ginger snaps, and apple slices will thank you!
• arborio pumpkin! have a favorite risotto base recipe and are running out of things to add to it? try pureed pumpkin! 
• pumpkin pasta sauce! add some sauteed onion and garlic to pureed pumpkin in a pan. add a little olive oil and a little veggie broth to thin it out. season to taste (savory? sweet? what do you like?!) and pour over your fave pasta! 
• amazing pumpkin smoothies! mix together approx a cup of vanilla almond or soy milk, a half cup of canned pureed pumpkin, a half of a banana (or a whole banana if you want it thicker), a few table spoons of vanilla soy yogurt, spices to taste (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice) and a dollop of vanilla extract in a blender. blend!  top with vegan whipped cream or your own homemade whipped topping recipe. sprinkle cinnamon on top.  DRINK.
• pumpkin butter or applesauce! add pumpkin puree to your favorite applesauce. add cinnamon and sweetener to taste.  yummm!
• pumpkin peanut butter! add pureed pumpkin in a food processor along with your favorite natural peanut butter (just a little at a time). add a little cinnamon and a dollop of agave. process! adjust ingredients until you find the right texture and taste to suit your needs.  this is SOOO good on toast!
• pumpkin mac and cheese!  i have never had this, but a friend of mine swears that if you add pumpkin puree to your mac and cheese casserole, it makes it soooo creamy and tasty.  i am definitely gonna try this next time i make vegan mac.
• pumpkin oatmeal! stir some pumpkin puree into your oatmeal and add a little cinnamon and sweetener.  top with raisins or vegan chocolate chips. OMG i love this year round.
• pumpkin hummus! mix pumpkin puree with your normal hummus ingredients (tahini, olive oil, lemon, chickpeas) and season! this is delicious whether seasoned savory (garlic and cumin) or sweet (cinnamon and sweetener).
• pumpkin chili!  pumpkin is an amazing ingredient to thicken your chili, and its super tasty!
• pumpkin martini! i love this recipe. substitute the half and half for silk soy creamer. i also substitute the sweeteners based on my mood ha! 
• pumpkin quinoa! add pureed pumpkin and some vanilla almond milk to prepared quinoa. season with cinnamon and nutmeg. add a little agave nectar to taste. simmer until all the moisture is absorbed.  so good.
• pumpkin whip! bored with your favorite vegan whipped topping? mix in one half to one cup of pumpkin puree to two cups of your homemade or store bought whipped topping. season with your favorite pumpkin-y pie seasonings. this is amazing on top of a mug of hot soy chocolate.
• candied pumpkin seeds! sick of toasted plain old pumpkin seeds? me, too! try taking your freshly removed pumpkin seeds and mixing them in a bowl with brown sugar, a pinch of salt,  and your favorite pumpkin pie spices. after they are coated, spread them onto a greased and foil-lined baking pan. bake at 250 degrees until they are glazed (about 45 minutes). so much better!

would you try any of these?!

do you know any other quick and easy things 

to do with pumpkin?  

let me know!