Curried Pumpkin Hummus

It's true what they say: every pregnancy is different. I remember being at this stage with Riley. I was not able to eat much (especially not curried pumpkin hummus) because I would get heartburn instantly. I've traded the heartburn in for more aches and pains in general this time around but all in all I have no complaints. We are gearing up for life with two boys and I'm pretty certain it's going to be great.

Another difference between this pregnancy and the first is my ability to control my cravings and maintain a healthier diet. It's easiest for me during the second trimester to eat nothing but the very best for me and my baby, but during the first trimester (plain noodles and mashed potatoes, please) and the third trimester (give me all the ice cream) I tend to struggle. Being able to expect this has helped me make better choices during my daily hunger attacks. This curried pumpkin hummus is a great midday snack to help power me through until dinner time. I like it with multigrain pita chips, spread on a piece of toast, or as a dip for fresh veggies. It's easy to make at the beginning of the week and have around for those afternoon protein boosts that are so important when you're growing a human.

And with this recipe, I will now give you a break from my plethora of pumpkin dishes. I hope that, at the very least, I've shown the variety of ways homemade pumpkin puree can be incorporated into your weekly meal plan. In case you missed my previous pumpkin-themed posts, here they are:

• How to Roast a Pumpkin + Pumpkin Puree
• Savory Pumpkin Butter Tart
• Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

Curried Pumpkin Hummus

Ingredients

• 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup toasted cashews, roughly chopped
•  

Instructions

1. Combine the chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, pumpkin, and curry powder in a food processor and pulse until combined.
2. With the machine running, stream in the canola oil until the hummus iss very smooth.
3. Taste and season with salt.
4. Transfer the hummus to a plate and top with the cilantro and cashews.
5. Serve with pita chips, fresh veggies, or as a sandwich spread.

Savory Pumpkin Butter Tart

I truly love this time of year. The way the light changes from vibrant summer sun to softer, more golden reflections of fall leaves is absolute perfection. And the cooler air? Yes. Give me more of that. The change in seasons also means more of my favorite foods. Pumpkin spice things, caramelized things, herb-y things...they are all on my radar right now. This savory pumpkin butter tart is now at the top of my favorite-fall-foods list. Creamy pumpkin puree (recipe here) plus some homemade applesauce, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup and amaretto make a perfect pumpkin-apple butter. Spread on puff pastry and topped with walnuts, caramelized onions and blue cheese showcases the butter's sweet-spicy perfection in a new way.

This tart would be perfect for anything from last-minute cocktail parties to holiday appetizers alongside a glass of crisp, bubbly Prosecco. You could also turn this into a perfect fall lunch or light supper by pairing it with a simple green salad and a glass of chardonnay.

I'll be eating this in my backyard while I watch the leaves fall and pile up on the lawn, contemplating when I should ask my husband to start raking. It's gonna be a good time.

Savory Pumpkin Butter Tart

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin-Apple Butter:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree (recipe here)
• 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup Amaretto
• pinch of salt

For the tart:

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
• 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced with the grain
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2/3 cup pumpkin-apple butter (pumpkin or apple butter are fine too)
• 1/3 cup walnut halves
• 1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 1 tablespoons thyme leaves

Instructions

1. Combine all of the pumpkin-apple butter ingredients in a small saucepan, stir to combine and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Continue to gently simmer until slightly thickened, about 30-45 minutes, stirring often. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out until it measures about 12x18 inches. Roll about half an inch of the pastry to form a raised border. Return the pastry to the fridge to chill for 20-30 minutes.
5. While the pastry chills, make the caramelized onions by first melting the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add the onions and kosher salt and stir until the onions are softened and just beginning to turn golden.
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook and stir until the onions are a deep golden color, about 20-30 minutes.
8. Spread the pumpkin butter on the chilled pastry and sprinkle with the walnut halves.
9. Bake for about 23 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and firm.
10. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the caramelized onions and blue cheese crumbles.
11. Garnish with thyme leaves and cut to serve.

Peach Shrub Mocktail

During our first summer in Colorado, I discovered my love/obsession with Colorado peaches. I have honestly never tasted anything so delicious and for a couple of weeks all I can think about is eating at least one peach every single day so I don't miss out on the fleeting season. It also helps me deal with the fact that I am overheating/melting every time the temperature creeps above 85 degrees. Last year, I made a huge batch of peach jam thinking we would enjoy it all year round. But then no one ate it. It turns out people have some serious opinions about peach jam. Message received. This year, I opted for something a little different and made a peach shrub. Never heard of a shrub? It is essentially juice extracted from fresh produce and mixed with vinegar to be used as a mixer for cocktails. You can do it with just about any seasonal fruit from spring and summer berries to fall apples (which I'll be trying ASAP). And once you make it and stick it in the fridge, you have one year to savor and enjoy.

Yep. It's wonderful.

I plan to sip my way through the year (or the next 6 months...depends on how long this lasts) with shrub-based mocktails like this one. Fall flavors like sage, nutmeg and apple cider blend perfectly with the sweet flavor of summer peaches. And the vinegar adds a lovely zing that most mocktails lack.

With this drink in hand I'd like to say cheers to fall and thanks to summer for the lovely peaches.

I'll be spending the next 10 days soaking up the fall leaves in Minnesota. If you'd like to follow along with my trip, be sure follow me on instagram!

Peach Shrub Mocktail

Yield: Makes 1 cocktail

The peach shrub recipe is from my friend Jen from Use Real Butter. I doubled the recipe and tried one bottle with apple cider vinegar and one with white vinegar. So far, I've enjoyed the white vinegar best but both are quite lovely.

Ingredients

• 1 oz peach shrub
• 2 oz apple cider
• 3 large sage leaves
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

1. In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, combine 2 of the sage leaves and the shrub and muddle to release the flavor of the sage.
2. Fill the shaker halfway with ice and add the apple cider and nutmeg.
3. Pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with the last sage leaf.

Pumpkin-White Bean Skillet Dip

We went out for Ethiopian food over the weekend with some friends. Eating out is not something we do very often, thanks to the fact that I'm always cooking something, and when we do go out it is usually to a favorite place that serves something our picky toddler will eat. But this time, there would be no toddlers. No bowls of macaroni and cheese, plates of pizza, or crayons being dropped on the floor every 3 seconds. No. This time, we were having an adult night out at a brand new, interesting restaurant. And it was awesome. I'm now completely obsessed with Ethiopian food and with the woman who owned the restaurant we went to. She was beautiful in every way, from her silvering hair to her twinkling eyes and genuine, child-like smile, she captured my attention from the start. We ate with our hands by scooping up bites of lamb, lentils, and chicken with a piece of injera. Injera is basically Ethiopia's answer to tortillas, crepes, bread, and utensils. It has a flavor similar to sourdough bread and is light and airy yet quite filling. I started thinking about how much fun it is to eat this way and how we don't have nearly enough of that in American cuisine. Then I realized that we do: dip! Chips and dip may be far less romantic, but it's a similar concept, yes? With that in mind, I bring you a delicious, football-worthy dip: Pumpkin-White Bean Skillet Dip.

That's right. A savory pumpkin recipe has now graced my blog and I am excited about it. Creamy white beans, pumpkin puree, a bottle of Oktoberfest, some onions, garlic, and sage make this dip wonderfully flavorful and healthy. There is a little cheese added at the end but this creamy, satisfying dip is made without dumping in a bunch of sour cream, cheese, or cream. Served with some whole wheat pita chips or whole grain tortilla chips, this is an ideal fall snack.

I'm starting to like football season more and more thanks to recipes like this one. But don't tell my husband...

Pumpkin-White Bean Skillet Dip

Serves 4-6

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced with the grain
• 1 12 oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 bottle Oktoberfest beer
• 4 sage leaves
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, unsweetened
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 oz Gruyere cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 1 oz grated parmesan cheese
• Tortilla or Pita chips for serving
•  

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and onion and sautee until fragrant and just beginning to brown.
3. Add the white beans and increase the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring gently, until the beans being to brown slightly in places.
4. Add the beer and sage leaves to the skillet and bring to a boil. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
5. Remove the sage leaves and discard.
6. Add the pumpkin puree and stir until the liquid has been absorbed, about 2 minutes.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Top with the cubed Gruyere and place under the broiler for 5 or 6 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
9. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and serve with chips.

Cocktail Friday: Mocktail Party!

I'm constantly on the hunt for fun drinks that are non-alcoholic right now. I'm constantly drinking water and it gets so. exhausting. So today, in the hopes that some of you out there are looking for something similar, I've put together three of my favorite non-alcoholic beverages along with some of my favorite appetizers so you can host your own Mocktail Party! First up is this beautiful and dramatic Blackberry-Vanilla Mocktail. I posted this over on La Fuji Mama a while back and it is one of my favorite drinks. You can use any fruit you'd like. Peaches would be dreamy!

And to snack on alongside this lovely beverage? I recommend my Homemade Cheese Crackers. They are completely addicting! Plus, they are 100% adult AND kid-friendly.

Next up is a healthy and unique Cardamom Lassi. This recipe comes to us via my art director/graphic designer sister, Rebecca, who contributed some beautiful cocktails to the site for a few weeks. This just might be my favorite. Creamy yogurt, refreshing cardamom, and the knowledge that you are drinking something delicious and good for your body is priceless.

A drink like this deserves an appetizer that is equally healthy and fresh like this Preserved Lemon Relish with a few crackers and perhaps a bit of smoked salmon. Perfection!

And the final combination I have to share with you today is a classic: Homemade Lemonade alongside a cheese plate featuring Maple Bourbon Bacon Jam. Is there really anything else to say? Didn't think so.

Cheers to a much-needed holiday weekend! I hope you enjoy every extra moment of fun and relaxation with your friends and family! Make some simple, delicious recipes and sit around the table (outside, of course) to soak it all in.

Cocktail Friday: Paris Stranger

My sister, Rebecca, is back with an enchanting story of the Paris Stranger and a cocktail with the same name for this week's Cocktail Friday! These posts make me want to sit on the deck with her, chatting about all of the things. If only Minnesota were a little (or a lot) closer...

This summer, I read a book by Kristin Newman called What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding. It's a hilarious account of Newman's real life travel adventures as a young, single comedy writer. It was funny, fun, and full of surprisingly wise observations about life and travel.

One of her travel edicts is to do the thing you are supposed to do in the place you are supposed to do it in. You know, eat pretzels in Germany ... ride camels in Egypt ... drink vodka in Russia ... etc.

As I read, I thought about all of the places I've been and all of the times I didn't do the thing I was supposed to do in the place I was supposed to do it.

For example:

IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY OCTOBER NIGHT IN PARIS. My friends and I had met up with a parisian friend-of-a-brother (or something) who led us through Montmarte to a popular cafe for drinks. The cafe had two or three smallish rooms and all of them were suffocatingly full of people. We pushed ourselves against a wall to watch and wait for some chairs to open up.

As I scanned for leavers, my eyes unwittingly caught on a handsome face in the back of the cafe. It was years ago, but there is a picture burned into my brain of a man with light hair, thin, broad shoulders, an Oxford-ish look, with those smiling eyes that tend to make me go stupid, drinking beer. I was completely smitten. A dapper gent. A dapper, dapper gent ...

Anyway, I turned back to my friends, forcing myself to not ogle the thing I reeeeeeally wanted to ogle in the back of the room. Eventually, we realized no one was going to leave and decided to move along. As we turned to go, I cast one last look at my new favorite face in Paris ... AND GUESS WHAT!

Our eyes met! He smiled! He waved! AT ME! AT MEEEEEE!

Instantly, my head was full of thoughts:

Did he think I was someone else? Was someone behind me waving back? Was he making fun of me? (A particularly destructive-yet-common thought I have when something like this happens)

So I did what any insane person does: I turned my blushing face away as fast as I could and walked away.

I just walked away.

Once outside, I told my friends what happened and they almost insisted we go back. But I, in my determination to keep myself from ever facing scary things, said, "No, no. It's not a big deal. It's nothing. Never mind. Let's keep going. Never mind."

The end.

I could write a whole book full of sad stories like that one. I mean, aren't you supposed to fall in love with a stranger in Paris? If you have the chance? So many times, life has handed me something and said HERE! TAKE IT! IT MIGHT BE WONDERFUL! And I've looked down and said, "Never mind."

So, as a kind of penance, I'm calling this week's cocktail the Paris Stranger.

Cheers to him, whoever he was, and whatever he was waving at. Next time, I promise promise promise I'll make the scary move.

Paris Stranger

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 oranges, peeled
• 1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger
• Whiskey
• Ice

Instructions

1. Run oranges and ginger through a juicer (you know, the one you bought for making green juices and then never did). Add one or two shots of whiskey in ice-filled glass and top with orange-ginger juice.