While it might still be 75 degrees and sunny in San Diego, it’s still fall which means we’re getting excited about pumpkin! Canned pumpkin is available at any time of year, so you can enjoy these recipes at any time.  Pumpkin is a great source of fiber, which helps keep you full, vitamin A, which is good for your eyes, and vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting. Try it in these 8 recipes that will get you ready for sweater weather!

 

1. Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Pumpkin Penne Pasta 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Turkey Pumpkin Chili
   

 

4. Easy Pumpkin Soup (Serves 4) Photo Credit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makes 2 dozen cookies

• 2 cups/256 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), soft but cool
• ½ cup/4 ounces/113 grams cream cheese, cold and cut into 8 pieces
• ¾ cup/165 grams light brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup/101 grams granulated sugar
• ¾ cup/202 grams pumpkin purée
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¾ cups/303 grams chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, stir the flour, baking soda, salt and spices until well combined.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, cream cheese, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the pumpkin purée and vanilla extract, and mix to combine.
4. Turn the mixer to low, and add the dry ingredients. Mix until a few streaks of flour remain. Remove the bowl from the mixer, add the chocolate chips and use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture until well combined.
5. Scoop the cookies onto prepared baking sheets using a 1-ounce (roughly 2 tablespoon) cookie scoop, 2 inches apart. Gently press the cookies with your fingertips to flatten them slightly. The batter is quite sticky, so you may occasionally have to rinse the cookie scoop and your fingers during this process.
6. Put the cookies in the oven, and bake, until they are slightly cracked on the surface and golden, and rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, 12 to 15 minutes.

Source:  Yossy Arefi, NYT Cooking

6. Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes (Serves 4)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Easy Pumpkin Milkshake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Pumpkin Energy Bites

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to schedule an appt with the Erin Kukura, the Recreation Registered Dietitian go to: https://recreation.ucsd.edu/wellness-services/nutrition/or e-mail at ekukura@ucsd.edu