Pumpkin Pie Truffles

Happy Halloween everyone! In honor of this candy-crazed holiday I present to you a sweet treat that's not only appropriate for Halloween but would also be wonderful to serve at Thanksgiving, which is scarily sneaking up on us...

How adorable would these pumpkin pie truffles look at the dessert table?

I love making truffles because you can pack a whole bunch of flavor into a tiny bite-sized treat. Perfect if you are watching your waistline and don't want to indulge in a whole slice (or 3) of pie, but still want to satisfy that sweet tooth. These truffles contain all the pumpkin pie goodness your heart desires in one little bite- the creamy pumpkin filling, the warm Fall spices, even the graham crackers! They're all in there, enrobed in a decadent coating of chocolate. Mmmmm...

makes about 18 truffles

Ingredients

1/2 cup white chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs, plus 1 tbsp

1 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 tbsp powdered sugar

6 oz chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Melt white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 45 seconds, then in 15 second intervals, until completely melted.

2. In a food processor, combine white chocolate, pumpkin puree, 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs, cream cheese and powdered sugar. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill mixture for at least 2 hours.

3. Roll the chilled mixture into 1 inch balls, place on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for about 15 minutes.

4. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. When chocolate has melted, dip truffles into chocolate using a fork or toothpicks and return to baking sheet. Immediately garnish with reserved graham cracker crumbs and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

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Salted Caramel Apple Chips

I'm taking a break from the "pumpkin flavored everything" madness that is October to bring you something different. But fear not, pumpkin fans, I'll be back in a few days with another recipe starring everyone's favorite rotund orange squash. For the time being, feast your eyes on the yummy gorgeousness of these Salted Caramel Apple Chips! 

Baked apple chips are a great healthy snack, but why not let yourself splurge a little and add a bit of salted caramel to the mix? This would be great to set out as an after school snack- and score some serious cool points with the kiddos! Or tuck small portions into treat bags tied with pretty baker's twine to hand out to friends and co-workers....again, racking up the cool points all over the place. 

Ingredients

2 apples

1/4 cup homemade or store bought caramel sauce
1-2 tsp Maldon sea salt

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 225 degrees.
2. Slice apples 1/8 of an inch in thickness using a mandolin slicer and place in a single layer on parchment lined baking sheets.
3. Gently warm caramel in a heatproof bowl in 10 second intervals until softened.
4. Using a pastry brush, brush caramel over the top of one half of each apple slice.
5. Bake in the oven for approximately 2 hours, checking after 1 hour and removing when apple slices begin to brown. Apple slices will begin to crisp up as they cool.
6. Sprinkle lightly with salt before serving.

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Pumpkin Spice Protein Smoothie

I love starting my day with a protein shake for an instant dose of energy and nutrients, but lately my repertoire has been feeling a little stale. My faithful chocolate protein powder-banana-peanut butter-almond milk combo is getting tired. I needed to shake things up a bit, so imagine my delight when the inspiration struck to create a recipe that combines the health benefits of a protein shake with the flavors of everyone's favorite seasonal coffee drink!

The thing I love most about this Pumpkin Spice Protein Smoothie is that it contains 50 fewer calories than a tall pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks while packing in far more health benefits. This delicious beverage is not only high in protein, but also a good source of potassium, fiber and omega 3's. And those warming spices are not just there to enhance flavor- cinnamon, nutmeg and fresh ginger are known to boost immunity, aid in digestion, prevent inflammation and reduce fatigue and stress. So drink up!

makes 1 smoothie
Ingredients
1/2 cup sliced frozen banana
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp ground flaxseed

Instructions
1. Add all ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth.
2. Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream and additional ground cinnamon (optional).

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Vegan Linguine with Chipotle Pumpkin Cream Sauce + Giveaway!

If you have ever purchased a can of chipotles in adobo for a recipe only to use one or two peppers and leave the remainder sitting in the can in the back of your fridge indefinitely, you're not alone- I'm right there with you. The smoked, dried jalapeño peppers pack such a flavorful punch that you'll rarely ever need an entire can for one dish, so the rest sadly often goes to waste. But this conundrum is now solved with an ingenious product I recently discovered called Olo's Chipotle Paste.

Similar to the tubes of tomato paste you may already be familiar with- because who ever uses a whole can of tomato paste in one fell swoop, really- all natural pureed chipotle is packed in a resealable aluminum tube for a practically everlasting shelf life. And the fine paste consistency conveniently allows you to skip the step of seeding and mincing your chipotles, a worthwhile advantage in my opinion. 

I was eager to play around with my new find, so when I came across this recipe from fellow food blogger Stefanie at Sarcastic Cooking I knew I had to recreate it. Her Fall-inspired chipotle pumpkin linguine is unique and and comforting, and you would never know that it's a vegan dish from the looks of it, or the taste! I adapted it only slightly by adding a touch of agave syrup at the end; I think the hint of sweetness is the perfect thing to balance the smoky spice of the chipotle. 

Definitely give this recipe a try- it would be brilliant as a vegetarian main course with fresh sautéed veggies added to it (think zucchini, tomatoes corn or peppers), or wonderful as a side dish alongside pan seared chicken or a roasted pork tenderloin.

Olo Foods was kind enough to send me a tube of their All Natural Chipotle Paste to give away so that you can make this and many other chipotle recipes of your own at home! To enter this giveaway, complete the following steps:

1. Leave a comment below telling me what you would make with Olo's Chipotle Paste!

2. Follow me on Twitter.

3. Add me on Facebook. 

I'll announce a winner via Facebook on November 1st. Good luck!

adapted from Sarcastic Cooking
serves 2
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp-1tbsp chipotle paste (or canned chipotle in adobo)
3/4 cup pureed pumpkin
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp agave syrup
4  oz dried linguine pasta
2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
Salt, to taste

Instructions
1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add linguine. Cook until pasta is al dente, then drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chipotle paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add pumpkin puree and stir to combine. Gradually whisk in almond milk until well incorporated and bring to a simmer. Cook for a few more minutes until sauce is thickened and remove from heat. Add agave and season with salt.
4. Toss pasta with sauce and top with pumpkin seeds and cilantro.

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Beet & Goat Cheese Ravioli

 It's not very often that I get a hankering to make homemade pasta. Don't get me wrong, I could eat pasta every day of the week and twice on Sunday (I don't, of course...but I could). It is easily my favorite type of food, and nothing compares to pasta that is painstakingly made from scratch. Not even the most expensive, high-quality, imported dried pasta comes remotely close. The texture and flavor of fresh pasta is simply out of this world, but it's such a commitment. Make the dough, roll it out, shape it, cook it...ain't nobody got time for that! It truly is a labor of love. So the shortcut variety almost always wins out, but when I woke up one cloudy morning with a rare clear agenda I thought to myself, today is a perfect day to make some pasta.

But not just any pasta. Ravioli. And not just any ravioli. Beet and Goat Cheese Ravioli! The filling is light, fluffy and tangy; a wonderful contrast to the dense, chewy pasta that envelops it. And I'm crazy about the intense fuchsia hue- who cuts into a ravioli and expects to see that?! I marvel at the fact that a color so bright can be found in nature, so that last thing I wanted to do was to disguise it with a heavy, opaque sauce. To keep it simple I made a quick sauce from a bit of starchy pasta water, fresh chives and butter. Less is more!

serves 2

Ingredients

Fresh pasta dough

1 large beet

1/4 cup goat cheese

2 tbsp grated parmesan, plus more for garnish

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp fresh chives, minced

salt & freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wrap beet tightly in aluminum foil (drizzle with olive oil first if desired) and roast for approximately 45 minutes. Allow to cool completely and then coarsely chop.

2. Add beet, goat cheese, 2 tbsp parmesan, egg and a pinch of salt and pepper to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Transfer mixture to refrigerator to chill while rolling out the pasta dough.

3. Roll out two sections of dough into thin sheets using a pasta machine. Test the thickness of the sheets by placing your hand behind it (if you can make out the shadow of your hand behind the pasta it is ready to be filled).

4. Place rounded teaspoons of the chilled filling onto one pasta sheet about 3 inches apart. Cover with the second sheet of pasta, pressing lightly on the filling to remove any air bubbles. Cut ravioli using a round cookie cutter and press around the edges using the tines of a fork to seal.

5. Add raviolis to salted boiling water and boil for 2-3 minutes until pasta is cooked. The raviolis will begin to float to the surface when the pasta is done cooking. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to serving plates.
6. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add chives and cook until water begins to evaporate. Gradually add butter 1 cube at a time, allowing each cube to melt before adding the next.
7. Spoon butter sauce over ravioli and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with grated parmesan if desired.

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