3 ingredient Pumpkin Pancakes

School started today, so I'm in the mood for fall. That means pumpkin season!! This little recipe is quick to whip up, minimal ingredients, and grain free! I hope it's a hit in your family, too!













Ingredients:
1/4 cup pumpkin purée (I used canned)

1/2 banana (mashed)

2 eggs

Optional:

1 tsp Pumpkin spice seasoning

1/2 tsp vanilla 

Chocolate chips

Whisk together all ingredients and pour on to a hot, greased, skillet or griddle, over medium heat. Flip when pancakes start to bubble on top. 

Enjoy!

Healthier Pumpkin Rice Krispy Treats

Our Halloween plans were changed last minute, so I had to try to figure out something for us to do this evening. We decided on a movie and treat, so I went to the store in search of something easy to throw together. My small town has limited health food stores, but we do have one grocery with a very small health foods isle. So, I picked up some organic brown rice crispy cereal and decided to make some version of pumpkin "rice krispy treats". I was not in luck with limited ingredient marshmallows, so ended up with the store brand. I need to check and see what Whole Foods has next time I am there.

(Side note: This cereal brand is allergen friendly, which was a great bonus!)

Now, keep in mind that I'm not very crafty, so it's ok to laugh at my finished pumpkin. ;) But, the important thing is that these tasted great and my kids loved them!

Ingredients:
6 cups of brown rice crisp cereal
4 cups of marshmallows
2 tbsp of coconut oil
1/8 to 1/4 cup pumpkin
1 tsp of pumpkin spice seasoning, (or just add to taste if you prefer)
A few chocolate chips for decorating (optional)

Directions:
Put the coconut oil in a large pan on low heat. Once it has turned to liquid, add marshmallows and stir. When marshmallows have melted, stir in pumpkin. Too much pumpkin will make them not as crispy, so somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4 cup works great. Also add seasoning.
Remove from Heat.
Add your rice cereal and stir well, making sure you get everything from the bottom stirred in.
Pour the mixture into a 9x13 and flatten with a spoon, making sure it's pressed into all the corners.
Once they are cooled they are ready to eat!

I ended up putting them in the fridge to get them good and cool. Then I used a small cup to cut out a couple of circles to make the boys each a pumpkin. Then we decorated them with the chocolate chips.  Well, they mostly ate the chocolate chips, but it was fun and the treats tasted great!! --C

Cranberry Pumpkin Energy Bites Recipe

Am I the only one that struggles to find a use for leftover canned pumpkin? It seems that I rarely pick recipes that use a whole can of pumpkin, so I always end up with some leftovers. Today I used the leftover canned pumpkin to make Cranberry Pumpkin Energy Bites. This is a super simple recipe that does not require you to cook or bake anything.

Cranberry Pumpkin Energy Bites

Ingredients

1/4 cup pecans
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup dried cranberries
10 Medjool dates
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon honey (optional; omit to make vegan)

Instructions
Add pecans to food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the rest of the ingredients to pecans in food processor and combine until desired consistency - it should start to form a giant ball. Let mixture firm up for 5-10 minutes, and then roll into 1" balls. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Makes approximately 15. 

Adapted from My Whole Food Life's Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites 

If you are still reading, note the awesome built-in bowl scraper on my food processor. It is so nice to not have to open the food processor and scrape down the sides with a rubber scraper over and over. You can check out the Hamilton Beach food processor here. This one replaced our super nice KitchenAid that I rarely used because it was so heavy ... sadly, the KitchenAid came to its demise when I dropped it from an upper cabinet onto my head and then the floor. Yikes!

Coconut Flour Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips!

I don't know about anyone else, but pumpkin is not just for fall at our house. I make these muffins year round for my boys, because they are their favorite! You can make these with or without chocolate chips! But as you have noticed, chocolate is in everything I make, if I have a say about it. 

4 eggs
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin or canned 
1/4 cup pure maple syrup 
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup enjoy life chocolate chips (optional)

Mix together wet ingredients, then add dry ingredients. If you are using chocolate chips, save them for last. Fold them in and pour the batter into a lined muffin tin.
Your batter will be pretty soupy, but it is supposed to be that way! 

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
Enjoy!!
--C