Pie Pumpkin Puree ~ New Recipes Tried ~ Medjool Date Treat ~ First Cantaloupe

We finally got one evening of rain here.  I'm not sure how much more we'll get from the cucumbers, but they are almost all dead plants at this point.

The jalapenos are rolling in, so I have plans to bake us a jalapeno cheddar frittata for breakfast soon.  I also have plans to try a new hummus recipe (Jalapeno-Avocado).

I've been trying new tea infusions, and have included some new ones and excluded some we didn't like.  I found that yerba mate iced in the early part of the day is delicous with nothing else in it.

Once again, there are locals stealing, cars getting broke into, and in one small town, a person walked through the woods to break into a house.   

I have discovered something new!  I can substitute pie pumpkin puree for mashed bananas in a zucchini muffin recipe.  I have only made the recipe a few times, as we lacked the zucchini (squash bugs).

I did not know I could swap the pumpkin for the bananas, and I am blown away how good it tastes in the muffins.  I hope to try it in other recipes.

(You can read about pumpkin puree making last fall HERE)

Is there a book that is specific on recipes with either use pie pumpkin puree in recipes or with information on what you can swap pumpkin puree for?  I know you can use it for eggs, oil, and butter in baked recipes too.

I'm curious if other squash can be used in place of pumpkin puree (in case there is a year without a harvest).  For example, sweet potato, butternut squash, or roasted acorn squash.

My husband is not a fan of bananas, so I was thrilled to learn this swap with the pumpkin I froze last year.  By the way, the pie pumpkin we planted has been the best, but I only see about two on the vines this year (again squash bugs galore).

The recipe is online by Real Food Dietitions - Gluten Free Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins.

I'm not trying to go gluten free, but the oat flour in this worked great.  You can use all-purpose too, but I was trying to make them diabetic friendly for my husband.  I have to tell you, that the pumpkin puree muffins were more moist and we loved them.  I tossed in some chia seeds in both batches too.

Do you like medjool dates?  We love a sweet treat once in a great while, and these will be on the repeat list.  However, dates do not freeze solid, so here is my tip.  First, the filling is frozen in a loaf pan, then sliced, then dipped.  I do recommend cutting smaller pieces than the recipe says, and keeping half of it in the freezer, while you dip the first half.  The "frozen" filling will go too soft to dip.  I keep our finished treats in the freezer.  As you can see, when I attempted to cut one in half, the inside is too soft to do that (even frozen).  They are delicious.  I used a non-gmo dark chocolate.  Recipe is from Clean Food Crush  - Date Caramel Bites (free recipe online if you google it).

Medjool dates are pretty expensive here, so we do have to limit the purchase, but there may be a new cookie recipe tried in the near future.

                                               

August 14th, we enjoyed our first home grown canteloupe.  We have not grown fruit in several years here.

It's still hot and muggy here, which in August is pretty much the typical weather.  There is usually one week or weekend later in the month where it's cooler, but that is about it. 

I hope you enjoy your weekend.  

Pie Pumpkin Puree ~ New Recipes Tried ~ Medjool Date Treat ~ First Cantaloupe  © August 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Crochet Tension Ring ~ Garden Tidbits ~ Date Syrup ~ Einkorn Flour Pancakes

 

Interesting info for anyone who crochets . . .

I received a few different crochet tension rings, and have yet to give them a try.  I have heard of them, but have never used one.  Very interesting concept.  The ring holds the yarn tension as you crochet, vs. wrapping the yarn in between fingers or around your hand.  

I never did get any comments on the best row counter.  I'm still looking into that.

 As for the lack of posts?  Well, I'm busy weeding gardens.  However, yesterday I realized I forgot to trim back the lavender plants and they are already starting buds.  I believe I am too late this spring.  I will wait for blooms and maybe trim what I can after that.  The plants are becoming too big for the flower beds.

We are slowly working on a plan to get the vegetable garden planted.  

I'm glad to say, I am back to using our clothesline, but using it is hit or miss around here.  The rain comes and goes often lately.  The electric bill however has reduced to an all time low now.

I baked us some pumpkin (einkorn flour) muffins recently, and swapped the maple syrup/honey with date syrup.  We both like them, but I will most likely make them again, and try it with the honey.  These did not cause a sugar spike with my husband, using the date syrup.  I thawed pumpkin puree I froze from processing last years garden pie pumpkins.  I'll be back to update you on using honey in this recipe.

I tried yet another einkorn flour pancake recipe. I found this one online with Nourished Kitchen.  I added frozen blueberries I thawed, cinnamon and nutmeg.  We both loved these!  The recipe is small batch (a huge winner) and no sugar or sweetener in the recipe.  Of course, that all depends on what you also put on top of them, but the actual pancake recipe is a big keeper for us.  Pancakes are nice, but not when you have to eat them all week long. 

The recipe requires buttermilk, so if you are avoiding the fat, this recipe may not be for you.  However, like I said, it's a smaller batch recipe too.  I did use butter on the griddle to make them as per directed by the recipe.

The extra ones stuck together in the container, so the next time I make them, I will line waxed paper between them, to store in the refrigerator.

Question. . .

I need to replace my only single muffin pan soon.  I have looked at what America's Test Kitchen suggests, but they are expensive, and I cannot find any other reviews.  I don't want silicone or silcone lined pans either.  Any suggestions (non-stick)?

Crochet Tension Ring ~ Garden Tidbits ~ Date Syrup ~ Einkorn Flour Pancakes © May 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Radish Hashbrowns (another version)

Do you plant radishes in your garden?   

We absolutely love diced hashbrowns made with home grown french breakfast radishes.  We didn't get to grow them last year, and we will be this spring.  We didn't get to grow any variety of radishes last year for that matter.

Hankering some radish hashbrowns, I bought a pound of regular radishes and made a different version of radish hasbrowns. 

My husband made me promise not to serve him green beans for breakfast, but he got radishes ha ha!  

I can see why the original recipe calls for 2# of radishes.  They do not amount to much after you squeeze the water out, prior to cooking them first.  I had 1# on hand, so that is what I used.  I highly recommend using 2#, as you add only one egg, and one egg to 1# vs. 2# was too much, and made the cooking time longer.

You shred/grate (a food processor speeds up the process) the radishes, squeeze the water out, cook them, cool them, add an egg, and cook them in a waffle iron.

I used pickle juice from our home canned bread and butter pickles for the dip recipe.  I used sour cream vs. mayo in the dip as well.

Results?  Delicious!  They take a lot longer to make vs. the diced version, but these were very good.  I think I will make them the day before next time, and reheat either on a skillet or in the air fryer.

Don't skip the sauce/dip for these.  It is very good.  Recipe is from gnom gnom.com (Radish Hashbrowns with grated Radishes).

(Pumpkin Oatmeal bake with home grown pumpkin, scrambled farm fresh eggs and rash hashbrowns with herb garden green onions and homemade sauce - see recipe link for hashbrowns)

I didn't realize it, until I wrote up this post, that the original recipe shows a photo with some snipped green onion on top of the radish hashbrowns.  I added some to our leftovers and we loved it.  I will be adding those to it next time as well.

Note:  If I remember, the original recipe states to make these in a mini waffle maker, but I would make several in a regular size waffle iron to speed up the time making them.  It takes about 8-10 minutes to make one in a mini waffle iron.  Unless you are busy in the kitchen with another project, the mini waffle maker will take you a long time to get all of the hashbrowns made.

Another note:  I may even try frying an entire pan full, in heated oil next time.  

Update note:  my husband re-heated his in the air fryer at his work, and said they were amazing topped with the sauce and snipped herb garden green onions. 

Radish Hashbrowns (another version) © April 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Tidbits ~ Flourless Pumpkin Bread

 Tuesday was our "Monday" this week.  We both took Monday "off" and spent the day enjoying it.  Tuesday was the day for thunderstorms to roll in late afternoon, so laundry went out on the line early.

I am working my way through my garden freezer goodies, and made us some flourless pumpkin bread with frozen garden pumpkin puree. 

It is a very dense, thicker bread, and with less sweetness and flavor, but by adding some extra cinnamon and nutmeg it's pretty good.

The bread is also about half the height of other baked pumpkin breads.  I test the bread about 30 minutes into the cooking time, and let it cool almost completely in the pan.  I finish the cooling on a wire rack before slicing.

Flourless Pumpkin Bread

In a blender mix all of the ingredients:

2 cups organic old-fashioned oats

15 oz. of frozen, thawed garden pumpkin puree (I measure it, as it will weigh differently depending on the thickness of your pumpkin puree).  You can use 1 can of pure pumpkin as well.

1/2 cup pure maple syrup (I have not tried a substitute yet)

2 farm fresh eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. of homemade pumpkin pie spice (or add cinnamon, nutmeg)

Pour into greased loaf pan (I do not flour the pan) and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until done in the center.  350°F.

Personally, I like a bit of of honey on this bread, but if you are watching sugar, I'm thinking a thin layer of cream cheese or your other favorite topping. 

Now that I am writing out this post, I am thinking I will make us some homemade cinnamon honey butter for this bread.  

I gifted the homemade butter one Christmas, and it was a hit.  The recipe is on my blog:  Homemade Cinnamon Honey Butter.

I'm enjoying this healthy "snack" with a tall glass of infused nettle/oat straw tea.  Remember those XL disposable teabags I bought by accident?  They work great for these infused tea (no mess after brewing).  

Tidbits ~ Flourless Pumpkin Bread  © Mar 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Sunshine ~ This and That

 We had the most gorgeous 60°F day Wednesday.  It was also one of my most busiest days of the week for me as well. 

Sheesh.  There were lots of dishes, more laundry, cleaning, cooking and so on.  I also started on the stairway clean up project.  It may take a month to finish, as I am fitting it in my cleaning schedule, as I have time for it.

I finished dusting and cleaning all of the kitchen blinds and windows, and the valances were washed and put out on the line.

It was so nice to open windows and let the fresh air flow for a day.  So intoxicating for the soul.  Winter can seem so long sometimes, and this day was welcomed by all.

To focus on what's in the freezer and pantry. . .

I made a batch of Einkorn pumpkin pancakes for us for breakfast, and more egg cups, as I had one more cup of cooked sage sausage to use.  I used thawed frozen pumpkin puree from last year's garden, for the pancakes.  Einkorn flour pancakes are the best.  These pumpkin ones are more of a scoop and spread type batter.  It is much thicker, but so good.

Today the rain moves in, but the temperature is still nice.  For now anyway.  

We have been enjoying some organic snack bell peppers lately.  Especially when I have a very busy day, and lunch is eaten standing up (ha ha!).  We add a slight layer of cream cheese topped with homemade everything bagel seasoning.  Some days we add a few slices of turkey pepperoni or other meat.

I have also been making us a healthy peanut butter fruit dip, to have alongside our daily fruit - apple slices, banana slices, blueberries, and grapes.  It's very good, and so easy to make.  To be honest, most days, I just mix some peanut butter in some yogurt without measuring.  It's good either way.

One of my daughter's gave me the idea for this dip, vs. using plain peanut butter on fruit.

1 cup of organic Greek plain yogurt

1/4 cup organic peanut butter, creamy*

1 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. homemade vanilla

Mix and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.  Our dip does not last that long.  I pack it in little containers for my husband's lunch too.  You could leave out the honey too.  Especially if you do not have access to wildflower honey or other honey that is not from bee hives left in or around sprayed crop fields.

*We buy the organic peanut butter that requires you to stir it.  If you buy the "no stir" kind you will see that they add bad oils to it, so read your labels.

By the way, the bell pepper snack and fresh fruit with homemade peanut butter dip are both great take-a-long food ideas for gatherings.  Especially if you want to make sure you have something there for you to eat that is healthy.

Stay tuned for an update on the hallway repairs/renovation project.

Sunshine ~ This and That  © Feb 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

I tired it recipes, so you don't have to. . .

 

First, here is the link for the Pumpkin baked oatmeal with toasted pecans (The Real Dietitians). 

One of my biggest challenges has been to cook and bake without white flour, sugar and pasta.  Per my husband's doctor's strict instructions (for the last 7 years), I am trying my best, but as a baker and cook from scratch gal, it's been a huge challenge.  Hence, the new recipe trials.

I found this recipe on social media, but have no source for it.  I'm thinking someone just tossed stuff together.  Anyway...

  1st - I added cinnamon and nutmeg, and I'm glad I did.

2nd - they are a bit on the "dry" side, any ideas on what to add that is healthy?

3rd - they need more blueberries

Notes:  I used 1/3 cup monkfruit (I feel monkfruit is sweeter than real sugar), and used homemade vanilla.

I tried this recipe first, as I had frozen (vs. fresh) blueberries, and plain greek yogurt.  Oven bake times may vary, as you see mine are a bit toasty on top.

Mix 3 cups of almond flour with 1 Tbsp. baking soda.

In another bowl, whisk 4 eggs, 1/2 cup Greek plain yogurt, 2/3 cup swerve (or your choice of sweetener), 1 tsp. vanilla.

Mix wet with dry ingredients, and fold in 1 cup of frozen blueberries.  Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes.

I have another recipe that calls for milk and fresh blueberries to try soon as well.

Southern Beefy Skillet.  Delicious.  Uses beans vs. pasta.  Recipe is online with Eating Well (previously Diabetic Living).  Be sure to read the instructions first, as they left out the tomato sauce in the ingredients list.

I didn't quite follow it 100%.  I added a bag of frozen thawed, diced yellow squash to it as well.  I used home canned tomato sauce, the oregano came from the herb garden, and the bell peppers and jalapenos also came from the freezer (from last year's garden).  Sadly, I am out of freezer garden tomatoes.  Other than the addition, and using my homegrown sources, it was very good.  I will be saving this recipe.  I keep cans of organic butter beans on hand on a regular basis.

Butter beans, sausages and kale pesto.  A nice wintery dish. There are a few different recipes online for this, and they never specify exactly what type of "sausages" to use, so I decided to slice and cook turkey sausages (original recipes say to cook whole sausages).  It was delicious.  Next time I will serve a side vegetable too.  I have some kale pesto leftover, so I'll either be freezing it into cubes, or using it for a chicken dinner.  

My blog has once again compromised (or was anyway).  Why?  To annoy me?   Most likely the same person, however, did you know you can report an "issue" on your Google account?  You can. 

Enjoy!  The sun is out again today!

I tried it recipes, so you don't have to . . .  © Feb 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Spiced Nuts - Recipe ~ Buttermilk Pumpkin Einkorn Flour Pancakes ~ Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta with a Twist

 

Just when we think we will have more free time, we don't.  It's been super busy around here.  Most of my recent days have been busy in the kitchen.

I tried a new roasted recipe (see below), but didn't feel it was worth the flavor. 

We prefer this recipe for Spiced Nuts (more variety of flavors):

1 egg white

1 tsp. water

1 Tbsp. maple syrup

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper, ground

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground coriander

3 Cups almonds, peanuts, pecans, etc.

(we like almonds, cashews, walnuts and some raw pumpkin seeds)

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.  I use my rimmed pampered chef stoneware, but you can line a rimmed pan with parchment paper (possibly foil) too.  Coat with non-stick cooking spray.

In a med. bowl beat egg white and sugar until it is frothy.  Add sugar, cinnamon, salt, cayenne pepper, cumin, and coriander.  Beat the mixture until combined.  Add nuts and stir to coat..

Spread the mixture onto your prepared pan.  Bake 20-25 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Once the nuts appear dry, remove from pan and cool.  Store in an airtight container.

The recipe we tired was Chili and Rosemary Roasted Nuts (found online - The Real Food Dietitians).  It calls for fresh rosemary.

The recipe for the pumpkin pancakes are online with Jovial.  Delicious.

The recipe for the pumpkin pasta dish is online with Skinnytaste.  The original recipe calls for bacon.  I didn't want to do that, as I had chicken sausages that needed eaten up.  I cooked the shallot with butter/olive oil, and added the chicken sausages.  We loved this dish. I will be trying it with the bacon next time.  I used green lentil pasta with ours.   The recipe called for 15 oz. of pumpkin puree.  I used my scale to measure my pumpkin puree and it came out about 1 3/4 cups.  The recipe also calls for fresh rosemary, and it tasted delicious in this dish.

I thought about adding some broccoli to the dish as well, but was worried it would make the dish too watery.  Recipe is a keeper.

Cold Weather ~ Sage Tincture ~ Einkorn Pumpkin Muffins

 The water hoses (and I tell you, there are a lot) were all drained and put in storage, the camper winterized, and the last rosemary plant dug up and brought inside.  We had our first hard freeze now. It also snowed yesterday evening here.

I got one more jar of sage tincture started.  The tincture has come in handy for sore throats, and other uses.  Anyway, I was happy to have enough sage to use, prior to the hard freeze.

The most recent pumpkin recipe tried, was one using Einkorn flour.  If we make these again, I plan to cut the butter/sugar in half and try it that way too.  The recipe is on Jovial's site online I believe.

Pie Pumpkins Done~ Pumpkin Waffles

 I have roasted and preserved all of our garden pie pumpkins now.  I saved some puree for baking/cooking.  I typically freeze the puree in containers, but I ran out of them, so I froze the rest in ziploc bags, and froze them flat on a baking sheet to save space, and store more easily.

New recipe tried - White Bean Turkey Pumpkin Chili (SkinnyTaste online).  There are no tomatoes in this chili.  We found this to lack flavor, so I added more chili pepper and some diced jalapenos.  

I have also saved some fresh puree for making pumpkin waffles.  There may be some cookies, muffins or other baked this coming week.

Tip:  Did you know you can use pumpkin in place of eggs, butter and oil, depending on what you are making?  There is a good article about it HERE.  I am thinking of trying the Pumpkin Alfredo recipe shared on that article.

First Snow

 I finally got to the grocery store.  I noticed that they now only sell one type of tahini now.  They used to carry about 6 different brands.  I also noticed the peanut butter selection is much smaller.  

In the midst of trying to find the tahini, we had a conversation with a woman who was shocked at the price of eggs right now.  Then we were talking about hummus and found out she could not eat chickpeas, so I told her she could make hummus with pumpkin, black beans, beets etc.  She was so happy to find that out and said she grew pumpkins this year.  Anyway, nice lady and I was glad I could share with her.

We had our first snowfall.  It's officially winter.  It snowed all day, but melted away.  Nice big snowflakes too.  They kind that make you want to hunker in and crochet.  I did that too, only due to the fact I can't really do anything, other than tidy up the boot area in the hallway (I may do that today).

I was thankful to have the yarn for this blanket, already downstairs.  I started it last winter, but if you crochet, you know it's hard to crochet large blankets in warmer weather.  She picked out the bright yarn.  Crazy kid.  Anyway, I crocheted while my husband went to work on a niece's car.

Car lights were fixed.  Apparently, it was simply a blown fuse, but since he stayed there gallivanting, there were things here that did not get done (off his honey-do list).

And there is nothing more frustrating, than to get home and realize you forgot something that was actually written on the shopping list - salt for the softener.  Sigh.

I mentioned a new recipe I wanted to try, and have yet to try it.  I am hoping to do that today or tomorrow.  It's a breakfast dish.

 

I also forgot to send some things home with Daughter K, so I am hoping to get another visit from her.  This time, I have used my "notes" on my phone to remind me of what to send with her, ha ha!  

They say more snow is to arrive today, but it tends to make a person stay inside vs. go out.  We'll see what happens today.

Putting Up Peppers

Froze the last of the green bell peppers.

Jalapenos and green bell pepper went into this breakfast, topped with freshly cut chives.

Froze the last of the mad hatters and some more hot banana peppers.

Made hot sauce with some of the habaneros.  New recipe.  I'll let you know if it's good or not.

Filled the dehydrator with a mess of peppers for more fire powder.

Dinner last night.  Something I haven't made in a long, long time - pumpkin/ricotta stuffed shells (recipe is still online with Country Living) with basil and sage.  I sliced home grown carrots and put them in the crockpot with honey, butter and thyme.

Sadly, another extended family member on my husband's side of the family, had passed away from covid.