Trick or Treat, Come and Eat!

Happy October!

I have always loved Halloween and getting dressed up. But as we are all bombarded this month with junk food and sugar, it can get very tempting to pig out on all those delicious unhealthy treats.

You may or may not partake in the tradition of getting decked out in your silliest, cutest or scariest garb but October is a great month for buying local produce. All the fabulous colours and food are enough to make you salivate. In Ontario we are lucky to be surrounded by the warm and inviting colours of reds, yellows, and oranges; not only in our scenery but in our foods.

So the food of the month for October is Squash and Pumpkin. Whether you buy pumpkins to carve into Jack O’Lanterns or eat the seeds, both squash and pumpkin come in many shapes, sizes and kinds. 

Try any of the following recipes with canned pumpkin or if you’re feeling energetic, make your own puree. Note: These recipes do take some time and require the use of a blender or oven, but are sooo worth it! 1. Try a twist on traditional hummus by adding our food of the month - pumpkin. Below you will find a non-spicy as well as spicy version.  Enjoy these with cut up veggie sticks, pretzels or pitas. Pumpkin Hummus - picture on the left  (Recipe here: http://veganyackattack.com/2011/11/14/pumpkin-hummus/).  Spicy Pumpkin Hummus - picture on the right (Recipe here: http://www.onceuponacuttingboard.com/2011/10/thanksgiving-week-day-2-spicy-pumpkin.html). 2. A great way to wake up in the morning, or fuel up throughout the day are smoothies. Pumpkin and pumpkin spices are found everywhere during fall so why not join in on the craze. Adapted from: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/10/pumpkin-smoothie/ Ingredients 1 can (15 Ounce) Pumpkin Pie Filling Ice Cubes as needed 3 cups Whole Milk or non dairy milk such as almond or soy (more If Needed) 1/2 cup to 1 cup Vanilla Yogurt or Greek Vanilla Yogurt A Few Dashes Of Cinnamon Instructions To make the smoothie, all ingredients to a blender. Blend until the filling and ice cubes are completely pulverized. Add more milk or yogurt as needed to get it the consistency you'd like. Serve immediately! *Note: Make a lower-calorie smoothie by using unsweetened/unflavored pumpkin puree, nonfat plain yogurt, and the sweetener of your choice. *Can also sprinkle with cinnamon and/or nutmeg Create this recipe without the topping and use canned pumpkin pie filling to save time. If you have  time, you can freeze the filling and omit the ice cubes. 3. Pumpkin bread for breakfast - who doesn't like baked goods in the morning?! You can omit the chocolate chips or use raisins instead.  Recipe here:  http://www.givinguponperfect.com/2010/11/monday-morning-mmmm-chocolate-chip-pumpkin-bread/ Feel free to leave comments below if you try any of these recipes. Enjoy!