Cool air. Football season. New produce on the shelf. Pumpkin EVERYTHING. Changing leaves. My birthday. My anniversary. 
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3 Ingredient Pumpkin Dip
Necessity is the mother of invention right? Well that’s how this simple recipe came to be. I decided that I wanted a snack of celery and hummus and I was absolutely positive that I had some homemade hummus sitting in my fridge. Sadly, I was mistaken and there was no delicious hummus for me to eat my celery. So was left with two choices. I could eat my celery plain, but what kind of crazy person eats plain celery? Or I could find some substitute for my non-existent hummus. I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand to make a new batch of hummus but I did have a few things that I was able to throw together in less than 5 minutes and make a tasty dip. I bet that you probably have most of these things on hand now, so if you have some plain celery you have a hankering for go make this super easy dip!
3 Ingredient Pumpkin Dip
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1-2 tsp mustard (I used hot mustard, but you can use whatever you have on hand)
1. Ready? Mix this all together in a bowl and eat. That’s it!
You can adjust the amounts to your taste and the amount of dip that you need to make. This was a single snack size serving for me. This would be a really great dip for a crudite plate for a holiday gathering. I also used it as a topping for my lentil loaf last night and it added a really great flavor. So whip this up and enjoy!
Friday Link Love
I am in the middle of testing a few different recipes right now, so sadly I don’t have a new one for you today. Don’t worry though, the rest of the blogging world has some delicious things for you to try! Here are a few of the recipes and blogs that are catching my attention.
Brussels sprouts often get a bad rap, but they are delicious and tasty especially when you prepare them like this!
This is a really unique way to use grits and sushi. I love grits and this just looks tasty!
Need to feed a lot of people for breakfast? Then this is your dish! With family visiting for the holidays this is a great meal to keep on hand.
I love pumpkin and eggnog and brownies. Good thing PaleOMG made this brownie eggnog pumpkin pie!
I really like that one of the layers in this cake is made with kabocha squash. The oreo cake is pretty good too….
And finally if you are looking for a quick and healthy side for your Thanksgiving table, check out these sweet potato biscuits!
These are just a few samples of all the great, delicious, and healthy recipes that are out there. I can’t wait to try all of these and hopefully these give you some ideas on what to serve for the upcoming holiday. Have a great weekend and I will see you back on Monday!
Reader feedback: What are some of your favorite holiday meals? What dish are you most looking forward to?
Frosted Pumpkin “Blondies”
I’m really making myself a hypocrite by saying I’m not a baker and then giving you two dessert recipes in a row. Oh well, I think you’ll forgive me once you try these! My biggest struggle with this recipe was what to call it. They have the texture of a fudgy brownie, but don’t have any chocolate. It’s a lot thinner than a brownie or blondie, but it’s not really a bread either. What I do know is that they taste like fall and the frosting adds a nice creamy/salty touch to the sweetness of the blondie. You can also make these into mini muffins which are great to share at your Halloween party or make a batch for me for my birthday!
Frosted Pumpkin “Blondies”
For the blondies
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed (buy whole flax seeds and grind them at home)
- 4 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp brown rice flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the frosting
- 1 can full fat coconut milk, refrigerated (do NOT shake the can, just put it in the fridge)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp molasses
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4-1/2 tsp salt
1. Preheat oven to 350. Mix 2 tbsp flaxseed and 4 tbsp water in a little bowl and place in the fridge while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and whisk together. In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin, maple syrup, molasses, and vanilla extract.
3. Add the dry to the wet and mix well. Once everything is combined, add in the flaxseed mixture and mix well. Pour the batter into a greased 9×9 pan or mini muffin tin and place in the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove and let cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes.
4. While the blondie is baking make your frosting. Take your can of coconut milk and open it from the BOTTOM and scoop out only the solid parts. Add the rest of the frosting ingredients to the coconut cream and either with an immersion or hand blender, blend all the ingredients until smooth and fluffy. It will be a little runny, but just place the frosting in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to firm up.
5. Once the blondies are completely cool spread a decent amount of frosting on top. Cut into slices and enjoy!
Keep the leftovers, if there are any, in the refrigerator. I really like the combination of the salty/sweet frosting and the spicy fall-like flavor of the blondie. It’s a great treat for your Halloween party or even for Thanksgiving. I hope you have a spooktacular Halloween and an excellent weekend. Now I’m going to go enjoy these pumpkin blondies and my birthday!
How To Enjoy Fall
Fall is the best. I don’t just think that because my birthday is in the fall or I got married in the fall or one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving, is in the fall. Sure, all those things further my love of fall but they aren’t the main reasons. There is a change in the air and the scenery and it inspires change in daily life too, at least for me. While many people think of spring as the time of renewal and things coming to life, I feel like fall is the same way. The leaves turn to beautiful shades of gold, orange, and red, there is a certain crispness to the air, and the seasonal offerings at the market are warm and hearty. It’s just a great time of year and I think we should all take some time to enjoy it! These are some of my favorite things to do come fall time.
Apple Picking
My family has always gone apple picking during the fall. Whether it was on a school field trip or a day off on our own, I have many memories of picking apples. This Monday, I got the chance to go apple picking with my parents and my sister and her fiance. I haven’t been apple picking with my family in a few years and it was great to relive some fond memories of my childhood. There is nothing better than walking up and down row after row of apple trees, sampling as many apples as your stomach can hold, and loading up bags with your favorites. Anyone who has been apple picking can tell you, fresh picked apples are just better. And tons of apples can only lead to good things like apple pie, apple crisp, apple sauce, and apple butter. Plus, what would apple picking be without a stop at the country store for fresh apple donuts and homemade fudge? Go find an orchard near you and enjoy this fall favorite activity.
Pumpkins
You know I love pumpkins and it’s no secret that the rest of the population goes pumpkin crazy this time of year. I like eating them, baking with them, decorating with them, picking them, and just being around them. Pumpkins are great and when I see the first few pumpkins hit the stands, I know fall is pretty much here.
Squash in General
I like zucchini and summer squash just as much as the next person, but there is something so satisfying about winter squashes. They’re creamy, filling, versatile, and so tasty. There are so many varieties out there, butternut, kabocha, delicata, acorn, kuri…. The list goes on and on. You can eat them in pretty much every dish during the fall. Add them to soups, salads, stuff them full of delicious things, bake with them, or my personal favorite, roast them. You can make them sweet, savory, or spicy. They might look intimidating, but once you know how to handle them you’ll be eating them all the time. Go get some from your local farmer’s market and enjoy immediately!
The Scenery
I can’t begin to tell you how beautiful I think fall is. I feel like the leaves change from day to day providing new and even more gorgeous scenery than the day before. And the smell of fallen leaves, raked leaves, and burning leaves are some of the best scents I can think of. I also love fall weather. It’s usually fairly mild, chilly in the mornings and evenings but with that golden sunshine the afternoons are pleasantly warm. This is the best time of the year to get outside with your workouts before the harsh weather of winter comes. I love running in the brisk weather in the morning and then taking a long stroll in the afternoon, crunching leaves underfoot along the way. Fall is when I soak up that last bit of sunshine before I’m stuck indoors during the winter. Find a way to get outside during this time of year. Whether it’s for a workout, a walk a football game, or just sitting out in your backyard, enjoy that fall air.
I could keep writing on and on about all the things I love during the fall. Watching football games, band competitions, being around family and food at Thanksgiving, celebrating my anniversary with my husband, sipping warm tea and reading while it’s raining outside, smelling my mom’s hot apple cider simmering on the stove are all things that I love about this season. While you might not be as passionate about fall as I am, you can definitely find something to enjoy about this time of year. Get out there and make the most of fall!
Happy Fall!!
Life Healthfully Lived 