Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Although I hate fall clothes (give me a sundress and sandals over jeans and a sweater any day), I LOVE fall weather (especially on LSU game days) and fall food!  Soups, soups, and more soups!

And pumpkin!  Pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks used to be high on my list of fall favorites.  But now that I try to steer clear of artificial ingredients in my diet, sadly it doesn’t make the cut.

This recipe from Cook Like a Champion is the PERFECT solution!  I halved the spices (because I don’t care for overly-spiced things)…but you may not want to.  Your call!  Give it a try, you won’t be sorry!

Pumpkin Spice Syrup
adapted from Cook Like a Champion

makes 2 cups (or 32 tablespoons)

1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 cinnamon sticks
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons pumpkin purée

Combine water and sugar in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook until sugar has completely dissolved. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not allow mixture to come to a boil. Strain syrup through cheesecloth or a FINE mesh sieve into a large glass measuring cup. Transfer to bottle of your choice and store in the refrigerator.

To make a pumpkin spice latte, simply add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of syrup to your drink…start with less – you can always add more!

Per tablespoon: 37 calories, 0 g fat, 10 g carbohydrates (10 g sugar)

Pumpkin Muffins

Okay...I'm officially the worst CEiMB member! I can not keep up with life, much less blogging. Needless to say, it has been yet another month since I've participated...but today when I realized that I had all of the ingredients on hand for this week's recipe (chosen by Oddball Oven Mitt) and a little extra time, I jumped at the chance.

The muffins are a perfect match for a cool fall morning and a warm cup of coffee. They aren't overly sweet, making them a great breakfast option...but I bet if you topped them with a little cream cheese frosting they would make delicious cupcakes.

Pumpkin Muffins

• Per serving - 205 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 32 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein (exchanges: 2 starches, 1 fat; WW points: 4)
• Notes - I doubled the cinnamon, used maple syrup instead of molasses, swapped Greek yogurt for the buttermilk, and omitted the pumpkin seeds...the reviews said the spices were a little muted...the other changes were because of what I had and didn't have in the house; the recipe is supposed to yield 12 muffins, but after filling 12 I still had leftover batter...so as you can see in the pictures I filled 2 ramekins with about 2 muffins worth of batter...I guess I would have gotten about 16 regular muffins; if you have been reading this blog for a while you already know that my leftover muffins are now in a zip-top bag in my freezer

Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee

I look forward to Autumn for several reasons...cooler weather (um, I'm waiting...where is it?), football, warm comfort foods (pot roast is #1 on my list), and Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes! I usually don't sweeten my coffee, but for this I have to make an exception (I do ask for only 1 pump of syrup though).

A few weeks ago I came across this recipe for a DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte...just like Starbucks! And while I haven't actually tried the recipe yet, it did inspire me to flavor my iced coffee with pumpkin spices! I just add pumpkin pie spice to the coffee grounds before I add water and then allow it all to steep overnight. If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, just use a mixture of any of the following: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves...go easy on the last 3 and heavy on the cinnamon.

I add about 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice to this recipe. Then for each individual drink, I add skim milk and sweeten with condensed milk...such a treat! Happy Fall!

Black Bean (Pumpkin) Soup

I've had this recipe saved since June and have been waiting for the right time to make it. I had one can of pumpkin left in my pantry and I was either going to make yeasted chocolate-chip pumpkin bread or black bean pumpkin soup...but, considering all of the dessert I've had over the past week (lemon icebox pie and banana bread at Mel's, pumpkin cream cheese cupcake from Jess, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and rum cake on Thanksgiving, and M&M's at the LSU/Arkansas game...they weren't lucky this week!) I decided to go with the soup.

I put the pumpkin in parenthesis in the title because you won't even know its in the soup...you can't taste it (Hilary, who hates pumpkin, has eaten the soup twice and hasn't suspected a thing). It adds a thickness to the soup that makes it so rich and creamy...but there is no cream and the soup is very low-fat (4 g per 1 cup).

Things to know about beans:

1) they are a great source of fiber (15 g per cup...60 % of daily value), protein (15 g per cup), and folate...something women in child-bearing years need in order to prevent certain birth defects (64 % of daily value per cup)

2) they are high in carbohydrates, but don't be scared low-carb dieters...these are complex carbohydrates - the kind that are digested and released into your bloodstream more slowly which helps stabilize blood sugar levels (and may help with weight management)

3) the high levels of fiber help stabilize blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, prevent constipation and other digestive disorders (IBS and diverticulosis)

4) they are rich in antioxidants, and the darker the skin the better...so black beans are extra rich!

So eat up...beans are so good for you!

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
adapted from Epicurious.com

Makes 9 1-cup servings

2 tablespoons butter (preferably unsalted)
1 large onion, chopped
1 shallot minced (you could omit this)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
three 15 ½ ounce cans (or two 25 ounce cans) black beans (about 4 ½ cups), rinsed and drained
1 cup canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
4 cups beef broth
one 15 ounce can pumpkin pureé (about 1 ½ cups)
½ cup dry Sherry (or any dry white wine)
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar (optional)

In a 6-quart dutch oven or other large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion and shallot; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown. Add garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes more.

Meanwhile, in a blender (or food processor), blend half of each of the following: beans, tomatoes, beef broth, and pumpkin. Once the onions have softened and the garlic and seasonings have been added, add the first batch of the bean mixture. Repeat with the remaining beans, tomatoes, beef broth, and pumpkin; add to the soup pot.

Add the sherry (if using), stir to combine, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Just before serving, stir in the vinegar. Taste and re-season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve soup as is or garnished with light sour cream or plain low-fat yogurt.

Per 1-cup serving - 300 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated), 49 g carbohydrates, 16 g fiber, 17 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, 2 protein, 3 starch, ½ vegetable)

Notes - The recipe originally called for 4 tablespoons of butter, but I only used 2. It also called for ½ pound of diced ham, but I left it out...I figured I was getting enough protein from the beans. The dry sherry could be omitted or you could substitute any dry (i.e. not sweet) white wine. Serve ½ cup portions as a side dish or 1 to 1-½ cup portions as an entree. I froze half of the soup in 2 cup servings to reheat on a night when I don't have time to or feel like cooking.

Pumpkin Butter

One of my favorite fall foods is pumpkin. Even though canned pumpkin puree is available all year, I rarely buy it except during this season. But once the weather changes and the leaves are falling, I can't get enough. Last fall when I was in Houston I made pumpkin biscotti, pumpkin oatmeal, and crustless pumpkin pie...all delicious and relatively healthy. This year I've already made pumpkin muffins and have several other pumpkin recipes saved in my "to make" folder: pumpkin dinner rolls, yeasted chocolate chip pumpkin bread, and pumpkin bread pudding...the muffins and rolls the healthy ones out of these.

Yesterday I made pumpkin butter...and guess what? There is no butter involved and it's fat-free. Just like apple butter (which is basically thickened apple sauce), pumpkin butter is sweetened and spiced pumpkin puree that has been simmered so that it gets thick and dark. It would be great on English muffins/toast/bagels or stirred into oatmeal for breakfast. For a snack, I stirred some into my Greek yogurt and loved it...very thick and creamy! I'm sure you could bake with it too...replace 1/2 of the fat in a recipe with the pumpkin butter (you can also do this with apple sauce and mashed bananas).

Pumpkin is fat-free and low-cal (1/2 cup = 40 calories). It's rich in beta-carotene, which can protect against heart disease and may reduce the risk of certain cancers. It is also a good source of potassium, vitamin C, and fiber (5 g per 1/2 cup).

Pumpkin Butter
adapted from Allrecipes.com and Smittenkitchen.com

Makes about 1 1/2 cups (24 tablespoons)

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree, approx. 1 3/4 cups
6 tablespoons apple juice
1/2 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Juice of half a lemon

Combine pumpkin, apple juice, sugar, and spices* in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently. Adjust spices to taste. Stir in lemon juice, or more to taste. Once cool, pumpkin butter can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

*1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice can be substituted for all of the spices.

Per tablespoon - 20 calories, 0 g fat (0 g saturated), 5 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 0 g protein

Fall Weather Makes Me Want to Cook _______!

I hope you are all having a great weekend! The weather here has been so pretty...its finally starting to feel like fall! There are so many things I love about fall weather...good hair days (i.e. less humidity), enjoyable night football games, and warm comfort foods! I had chili last night for dinner and I made artichoke soup tonight. I've been cooking with butternut squash and sweet potatoes. I have pomegranates, persimmons, and pears in my kitchen right now. I also baked a fall treat...read ahead to find out what it was.

I passed my Adult Weight Management post-test...so I'm officially certified. I didn't learn anything "ground breaking"...no new magic weight loss secrets to share! I did learn a lot of new counseling techniques and I will use them in the future. I have a new understanding of how and when bariatric surgery, weight loss medications, and meal replacements (bars and shakes) can be used in effort to lose weight. I also realized how FABULOUS San Francisco is and that I can't wait to go back!

The following recipes are going to help you with 3 suggestions I have:

1. Eat more veggies! They are low in calories and high in nutrients/fiber.

I am going to attempt to inspire you to eat more veggies...steamed broccoli and green beans can get old really fast. If you can find a way to make vegetables more appealing you will likely eat more of them and more often. At lunch and dinner, a good idea is to fill ½ of your plate with vegetables...this will displace other more calorie dense things (starches and protein) and help you consume fewer calories.

Here and here are some more veggie ideas.

2. Have a starch free lunch on some days.

Starch...meaning bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, etc. Salads at lunch are a good tip. If you have a starch free lunch (like a salad), you will have left-over starches when you get to dinner (that is if you count starches). And then you can enjoy whole wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, or a whole wheat dinner roll with the rest of your family. Another good "starch-free" meal is an omelet or frittata made with sautéed veggies, egg whites, and reduced-fat cheese (I love having omelets at non-breakfast meals).

The salad recipe for the week was emailed to me by a LifeTime Fitness TWL participant and looks really good. Its a spinach salad...I'm sure you don't need me to tell you how good spinach is for you, but if you want to read more about it and other greens, read this.

3. Have dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, or dairy-substitute...soy yogurt, soy milk, etc.) and fruit for snacks.

The recipe for "Very Berry Salad" looks really good. I make something similar to this every week; I make it ahead of time on the weekend and eat it all week. The fruit provides you with carbohydrates for energy and the dairy adds protein to keep you satisfied for longer!

Spinach Salad with Warm Maple Dressing -

• Per serving - 164 calories, 12 g fat (2 g saturated), 12 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein (exchanges: 1 ½ fat, 2 vegetable)
• Notes - I think this would be good with chopped red bell pepper and diced apple or pear…and add some lean protein to complete the meal (chicken, tuna, beans)

Very Berry Salad -

• Per Serving - 83 calories, 0 g fat (0 g saturated), 20 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 2 g protein (exchanges: 1 ½ fruit)
• Notes - Eat this as is, or for a satisfying snack, add some protein with low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, or ricotta cheese. This would be good with other types of fruit too…use what is in season (obviously berries aren't really in season right now, so maybe apples, pears, grapes, and pomegranate) and save money!

Asian Cucumber Salad -

• Per Serving - 52 calories, 2.4 g fat (0.3 g saturated), 5.8 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1.3 g protein (exchanges: ½ fat, 1 vegetable)
• Notes - Keep the Asian theme, and serve with Soy Glazed Salmon (or tuna)

Baby Spinach with Pine Nuts -

• Per Serving - 51 calories, 3.5 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 3.7 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2.6 g protein (exchanges: ½ fat, 1 vegetable)
• Notes - Serve with baked chicken or pork tenderloin

Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower -

• Per Serving - 67 calories, 4.2 g fat (0.8 g saturated), 6 g carbohydrate, 2.4 g fiber, 3 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, 1 vegetable)
• Notes - I've made this before and added a little whole grain mustard and lemon juice too...I was inspired by this recipe (but without all of the butter!)

Barley with Shiitakes and Spinach -

• Per Serving - 172 calories, 3.3 g fat (0.9 g saturated), 26.7 g carbohydrate, 6.7 g fiber, 8.6 g protein (exchanges: ½ fat, ½ protein, 1 starch, 2 vegetable)
• Notes - Barley is a whole grain...if you can't find quick cooking barley, just buy what you can find and cook it a little longer (pearl barley is easier to find and is usually on the rice isle or the cereal isle near the oats)

Broccoli With Dijon Vinaigrette -

• Per Serving - 52 calories, 1.7 g fat (0.2 g saturated), 7.6 g carbohydrate, 4.1 g fiber, 4 g protein (exchanges: fat, 1 vegetable)

Brussels Sprouts with Pecans -

• Per Serving - 82 calories, 3 g fat (0.8 g saturated), 12.6 g carbohydrate, 3.9 g fiber, 3.6 g protein (exchanges: ½ fat, 2 vegetable)
• Notes - I love Brussels sprouts and get so excited when they are in season! If you've never had a shredded Brussels sprout dish, you should try this

Carrot Coins with Maple-Balsamic Browned Butter -

• Per Serving - 86 calories, 3.1 g fat (1.8 g saturated), 14.5 g carbohydrate, 3.4 g fiber, 1.1 g protein (exchanges: ½ fat, 2 vegetable)
• Notes - According to Cooking Light, this recipe tastes best when you start with whole carrots...the peeling and slicing should take you less than five minutes

Green Beans and Pan-Roasted Red Onions -

• Per Serving - 66 calories, 2 g fat (0.4 g saturated), 10.8 g carbohydrate, 2.4 g fiber, 2.2 g protein (exchanges: ½ fat, 1 ½ vegetable)
• Notes - The actual recipe says the serving size is 1/2 cup, but I think you should have at least 1 cup...so I doubled the nutrition info above

Quick Eggplant and Tomato Sauté -

• Per Serving - 46 calories, 2.4 g fat (0.3 g saturated), 5.5 g carbohydrate, 2.1 g fiber, 1 g protein (exchanges: ½ fat, 1 vegetable)
• Notes - This would be good over whole wheat pasta!

Lagniappe...


I love the fall because I love cooking with pumpkin. This weekend I made pumpkin walnut muffins (with whole wheat pastry flour) and they are delicious! This isn't the recipe I used, but Ellie's looks just as good! If you make them, freeze most of them (after they are baked) so you don't eat them all at once! You could omit the pumpkin seed topping or substitute walnuts or pecans. Make sure you buy canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. Perfect for breakfast with a glass of milk!

Per serving - 205 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 32 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein (exchanges: 2 starches, 1 fat)