Pumpkin Seed Crusted Tuna

After hallowing a pumpkin,its seeds are simply too good to be thrown away ,the slimy seeds can be cleaned and roasted whole for a nutritious snack.Although there is a way to get the seeds off the shell,but I like to leave the shell on,that gets the crunch after roasting.I decided to create something new this season with the roasted seeds,by using it for a crust on fish fillet.I have tried and loved the almond crusted fish,the pumpkin one was light but just as appetizing.Feel free to use any kind of firm fish instead of Tuna.



Recipe : Pumpkin Seed Crusted Tuna
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 (4-ounce) Tuna Steaks or other firm fish like Salmon or Tilapia
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon spice mix of choice(I use garam masala - ground Cumin,cinnamon,coriander and cloves)
1/2 teaspoon fresh minced ginger

For Crust
1 cup Roasted pumpkin seeds
2 slices of whole grain bread
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon spice mix of choice(I use garam masala - ground Cumin,cinnamon,coriander and cloves)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme , chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Method
Marinate the fish in spices and salt for few minutes.

Coarsely grind the pumpkin seeds in a food processor.Tear the bread slices and transfer in the food processor along with the spices,thyme and salt,pulse until the mixture comes together.Lay the mixture on a plate

Preheat oven to 400F.Heat a cast-iron pan on medium heat,add oil.Dredge the fish steaks\fillets on both sides in the mixture and remove. Sear in the hot pan for 2 minutes on each side until crust is golden brown.Then place in oven for another 10-15 minutes until fish is cooked through(takes longer for tuna steak,salmon will cook faster).Slice and serve with salad or vegetables.I served with sauteed broccoli and polenta.



This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging # 259,hosted this week by Susan of Well Seasoned Cook

Low Fat Almond Chocolate Mini Pumpkin Pie

Don't you love the vibrant show that nature puts on at this time of the year and exuberance of pumpkins adds to the splendor.Yes,I got my first pumpkin home and made the pie,this one was not so tough to cut through,made my work little easy.I have been posting about pumpkin desserts past two seasons,I present this season another special kind of pie, with almonds ,100% cocoa and dark chocolate chips as the secret ingredients.If you are a regular viewer of the blog,these ingredients are no secret,as I use them often in my recipes.

I do not have a preference for these mini pies over the large pie,making one large pie would be equally good,I just had the pie tins unused for long hence went for the mini version of the pie.The chocolate chips surprise in the filling are simply fantastic. I say this often,will say it again,use 100% cocoa powder and 60% cocoa chocolate chips to get the best benefits of the chocolate.

Recipe :Almond Chocolate Mini Pumpkin Pies
Makes 6 Mini pies or one 9 inch pie
Ingredients
For Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons fat free plain yogurt
1/4 cup brown sugar

For Filling
2 cups Pumpkin puree
1/2 cup fine ground raw almonds(or use almond meal)
1/4 cup unsweetened 100% cocoa powder(I use Hersheys)
1/2 cup brown or white sugar or 1/4 cup Agave nectar
*2 Organic eggs
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips(good quality with at least 60% Cocoa,I use Ghirardelli)
2 tablespoon Organic Whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla

*for eggless filling use - 2 table spoon of cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup whole milk

Method
Bake the crust
Preheat oven to 350F.Mix together graham cracker crumbs, yogurt, and brown sugar in bowl. Press mixture firmly into a min pie tins or a 9 inch pie pan.Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes.

Whisk the eggs or the egg substitute,stir in the sugar,cocoa powder,vanilla, pumpkin puree and ground almonds,combine well.Fill the mini pie tins or the pie pan with the pumpkin mixture.Drop the chocolate chips evenly in all the pie crust or in the pie pan.Bake in 350F oven for about 25-30 minutes until the center is a little firm to touch.Serve warm or can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging #255,hosted this week by Prof Kitty from The Cabinet of Prof. Kitty

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Pumpkin Seed Pesto Sauce

Butternut squash is one of those nourishing staple vegetables available throughout fall and winter.The vegetable is uber-rich in vitamin A and has the nutrients to promote over all good health.It can be incorporated in many dishes just as the pumpkins.

The puree of roasted squash is a fine filling for ravioli.With little experience of home made pasta making ,I used the American short-cut method by using store-bought ready to use wonton wraps for the pasta.The seeds in the squash when toasted and combine with fresh herbs and olive oil,served as excellent sauce with the ravioli.

To Roast the Butternut Squash
Cut the squash in to half lengthwise, lightly brushed with cooking oil, and place cut side down on a baking sheet.Bake at 375F for 45 minutes or until softened.

Recipe Butternut Squash Ravioli with Pumpkin Seed Parsley Pesto Sauce
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
For the Ravioli
1 cup Roasted Butternut Squash Puree
2 tablespoon onions,finely chopped
1 clove Garlic,finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon hot chili powder or freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoon partially skimmed Parmigiano-Reggiano(Parmesan) cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of nutmeg
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or canola oil

For Pasta Dough(ready to use wonton wraps work as well)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large organic or free range egg
2 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For Toasted Pumpkin seed Parsley Pesto sauce
1 cup fresh parsley(or cilantro)
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds or squash seeds
2 cloves garlic,crushed
1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano(Parmesan) cheese
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest



Method
Make the Pasta Dough
Combine all the pasta ingredient in mixing bowl until a smooth dough is formed.

Prepare the filling
Heat oil in pan on medium heat,add the onions saute a minute.Add the garlic saute until aromatic, about a minute.Add the squash puree,chili powder or black pepper and salt,cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt. Turn the heat off.Mix in the cheese and nutmeg and cool completely.
Prepare the pesto sauce
While the filling cools make the pesto sauce.Combine all ingredients in a food processor, blending just until smooth.Add some more water if needed.Cover and let rest for 30 minutes before rolling.

Make the Ravioli
Roll the pasta dough(use pasta machine if you have one),cut the pasta into 3-inch squares . Place about 2 teaspoon of the filling in the center of each pasta square or wonton wrap.Spread some water around the edges of the square and cover with another square,press to seal.Use a fork to seal all the square.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil salted.Carefully drop the stuffed pasta squares 5-6 at a time depending on the size of the pot.Cook about 2 minutes,when it starts to float that when it get to strain them out. Set aside.

To serve,lay some of the pasta and spoon the pesto sauce over the pasta.

This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging #214,host of the week is Halo of Cook Almost Anything Once

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Greek Yogurt

Old man winter's is knocking on the door.With bare trees,chill in the air,the brilliance of sun is at least intensity.While bundling up in woolly attire essentially protects us from outside ,a warm soothing meal nurtures the body from within to pull through the cold season.


The butternut squash is among the staple winter squashes available through the season.A member of pumpkin family butter squash has smooth almost buttery texture,that makes it ideal in soups and stews.The lightly sweet taste of the squash is a good complement with the spices and the tang from the Greek yogurt used in this warm nourishing soup.

Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Greek Yogurt
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup low fat Organic Greek Yogurt
1/2 a medium onion(about 1/4 cup),finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon of hot chili powder
1 clove garlic,peeled and finely chopped
half-inch fresh ginger,peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
few leaves of fresh herbs, sage or rosemary
Few toasted pumpkin or squash seeds for garnish
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Method

To Roast the Butternut Squash

Cut the squash in to half lengthwise, lightly brushed with cooking oil, and place cut side down on a baking sheet.Bake at 375F for 45 minutes or until softened.The roasted squash can be used in variety of different ways just as the pumpkins.The roasted seeds are good for snacking or making pesto sauce or garnish on the soup as in this recipe.
To make the soup
Heat the oil in a medium pan,saute the onions for a minute,add the garlic and spices(chili powder,ginger and garlic),saute another minute.Blend this onion mixture with the 2 cups of roasted butternut squash,salt and fresh herbs while adding 2 cups of broth until smooth.Return the mixture back to the pan and bring to a slow boil.Reduce the heat and stir in the yogurt.Simmer on low heat for 2 minutes.Serve warm with some toasted pumpkin or squash seeds and some more Greek yogurt on top.And a whole grain bread on side.

Share your the heart warming "Soups for Happy Soul" at Monthly Mingle hosted this month by Sunshine mom.

Baked Crunchies :Spiced Plantain chips and Pumpkin seeds

Baking is a good alternative to frying or deep frying ,with lesser oil used the food has lesser fat calories.Deep frying(or even over cooking)destroys some of the essentials nutrients like vitamins and antioxidants.Also prolonged heating(at temperature greater than 375F) or repeated reusing of vegetable oil at high temperatures can turn the fat into trans-fatty acids.Even though there are some guidelines to detect the number of times oil can be reused depending on the kind of oil used or temperatures it heated,but to be on safe side,I avoid deep frying as much as possible.

With that said,two of my favorite baked crunchies that are totally guilt free any time munchies.I used the same spice mix for both of them.The chips can lose the Crunch pretty fast ,so make sure its stored in air tight container.

Ingredients
1 plantain,peeled and thinly sliced or 1 cup pumpkin seeds,cleaned and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon chili powder or cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon each of ground cumin and coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste(optional)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil or canola oil,1 and 1/2 tablespoon for the chips and 2 teaspoons for the seeds.

Method
Preheat oven to 400F.
Mix the ingredient number 1 with all the spices and oil,coat the chips completely.Let sit for 2-3 minutes while the oven heats up.
Spread on a baking sheet and bake ,while turning once ,for about 15-18 minutes for the chips and 10-12 minutes for the seeds.Cool and immediately transfer in air tight containers.Chips tasted best on the same day,if store properly are good for a week or two.The seeds are good for over a month.



Interesting read: Reusing deep fried oil?

One more week to go for the last date of sending in theGuilt-free snacks.Big thanks to those who already did.

South Indian Style Spicy Pumpkin Chutney. Hosting WHB # 206

The hot chutney is reminiscent of the Spicy South Indian cuisine.The intense flavors from the chili peppers and the fresh spices gives the bland pumpkins a whole new makeover.Adjust the quantity of spices and make it milder or hotter.With the abundance of fresh autumn pumpkins the chutney turned out to be one of the absolute tasty eats of the season.
Recipeadapted from Anudivya's Roasted Pie-Pumpkin chutney
Ingredients
2 cups fresh Pumpkin Puree
1 small plum tomato,finely hopped (optional)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 green chillies or any other hot pepper
1 clove garlic,minced
1/2 inch ginger root,minced
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala (blend of cumin,coriander,cloves,cinnamon,bay leaf and cardamom)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon Extra virgin olive oil or Canola oil

Method
Heat the oil in deep pan or kadai on medium heat.Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds,after a minute when seeds starts to splutter,add the chillies,minced ginger and garlic,saute for a minute or two then add the tomatoes and rest of the spices.Cover and Cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy 4-5 minutes.Now mix in the pumpkin puree ,let cook for another 5-6 minutes.Blend in processor for smoother texture,this is optional I did not blend mine.Serve with plain brown rice ,flat bread ,mix in pasta,Dosa,Idli or spread on sandwiches.The chutney can be stored in clean air tight container in refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.


I'll be hosting the Weekend Herb Blogging for the week.Share your unusual delicious foods.Talk about the one unique ingredient used and please keep the entries exclusive(cannot be sent to other food events).For more rules check here and send your entries to YasmeenHealthnut AT gmail DOT com.

Mini Chocolate Pumpkin Tarts

Conspicuous from the new header I bought and clicked the season's first pumpkins.The markets are filling with these gorgeous antioxidant rich fruit,how could I not pick one?. I ignored them in the past but not anymore.This is just my second year of cooking with pumpkins and I have lot of recipes to try with them ,so expect to see some of my favorite pumpkin dishes this season.

I find the cutting part particularly challenging,while some smaller variety can cut through with sharp knife,perhaps I did not have the muscle power for this particular pie pumpkin I also needed a hammer to pierce the knife in.Here is the complete procedure to make a pumpkin puree.And the seeds are real treasure ,don't trash them.


The first favorable dish with pumpkin is undoubtedly the PIE.Remember last year's eggless Pumpkin pie,light and lesser in calories.This season I baked with the Organic eggs ,relatively(25%) less in saturated fat,of course if on no-eggs diet one can always use the egg substitute.



Surprisingly I had a little helper in the kitchen.Unlike his elder brother he is always anxious about what's cooking.Helped me separate the seeds from the pumpkins and whisk the eggs for the tarts.I couldn't be more pleased.He loves anything chocolate,the mini portion also suited him just right.


Recipe
Makes 6 Mini tarts
Ingredients
For Crust
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup Whole wheat flour
4 tablespoon(1/2 a stick) cold butter, cut in small cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup ice cold water

For Filling
2 cups Pumpkin puree
1/2 cup brown or white sugar or 1/4 cup Agave nectar
*2 Organic eggs
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips(good quality with at least 60% Cocoa)
2 tablespoon Organic Whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla

*for eggless filling use - 2 table spoon of cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup whole milk

Method
Prepare the dough
Using a food processor pulse together the flour,salt and butter while adding the cold water to a smooth dough consistency. Or use 2 fork and break the butter in to flour and mix it up while adding the cold water.
Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and allow to refrigerate for 30 minutes

Bake the Crust
Preheat Oven to 375F
Spread some all-purpose flour on the work surface.Unwrap the dough using a rolling pin, roll out half the dough and using 6 inch cutter or round lid of plastic container cut the dough in to circles.Transfer the cut dough in to each of the cups of muffin pan,press gently to smooth it out and poke some holes using fork to prevent it from rising.Repeat with rest of the dough and fill rest of the cups.Any left over dough can be used to bake mini fruit tarts.
Place the pan in the middle rack of the oven and bake the crust for about 10-15 minutes until the crust is lightly brown.
Bake the Tarts
Whisk the eggs or the egg substitute,stir in the sugar and pumpkin puree,combine well.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double broiler with 2 tablespoon of milk until smooth and completely melted.Gently mix the chocolate in the pumpkin mixture ,little at a time while whisking constantly.Pour about 3 tablespoon of filling in to each of the crusts in the pan.Bake about 30-35 minutes.Any leftover filling can be baked separately as pudding.
Cool completely and serve.The swirl of Nutella is totally optional,omit it to keep the dessert low in sugar.
For those Unaware please learn about the health benefits of :
Pumpkins
Dark Chocolate


This kiddie relish is my contribution to Srivalli at Spice Your Life's,First Anniversary with Kid's delight.And to Purva and Priti's Diwali Dhamaka.

Happy and Safe Diwali to all the viewers from India Celebrating the festival of lights.

Spicy Roasted Acorn Squash Soup.Hosting Weekend Herb Blogging #175

I'm delighted to be hosting this week, Weekend Herb Blogging,one of my favorite food events. Started by Kalyn and now conducted by Halo,WHB is now in its 4th successful year of showcasing every week ,food prepared using unique herbs,fruits and vegetables by bloggers around the world.


Lets make the rules for Weekend Herb Blogging clear:

1. Entries to Weekend Herb Blogging must be posts written specifically for Weekend Herb Blogging. This means they cannot be cross-posted in other events. Photos used in the posts however can be submitted to photo events like DMBLGIT.

2. Weekend Herb Blogging entries should have the goal of helping people learn about cooking with herbs or plant ingredients.

Only two types of entries will be accepted:
* Recipe posts where a herb or plant ingredient is one of the primary ingredients in the recipe
* Informative posts that spotlight one herb or plant ingredient, particularly including information about how they are used in cooking.
Naturally, posts can be a combination of both these criteria.

For the first time participants ,here are some clarifications in Kalyn's own words :
What does "one of the primary ingredients in the recipe" mean?
This means the dish could not be made without that herb or unusual plant ingredient. For example, chicken with sage cream sauce would be great; grilled chicken with parsley sprinkled on would not be okay.

What does "unusual plant ingredient" mean?
I realize that what's unusual varies greatly in different parts of the world, and I'm not saying people need to seek out something no one has ever heard of each week. Participants can certainly spotlight any ingredient that's unusual to them (for example I've never cooked with fennel, although it's not unusual to some people.) Unusual fruits and vegetables or spices are certainly welcome. It's my hope that this restriction will eliminate plant ingredients that are so ordinary no one is really interested in hearing about them.

3. Posts must contain the phrase Weekend Herb Blogging with a link to this post and to this page.

4. Mail me your entries at YasmeenHealthnut[at]gmail[dot]com with WHB in the subject line between March 16th to March 22th by:
3pm Sunday - Utah Time
10pm Sunday - London Time
9am Monday - Melbourne (Aus) Time
You can use this converter to find out the corresponding time in your location.

5. In email please include the following information:

* Your Name
* Your Blog Name/URL
* Your Post URL
* Your Location
* Attach a photo Minimum 350px wide

Recap will hopefully be posted on Monday.If you have any questions, please leave a comment or email me at YasmeenHealthnut[at]gmail[dot]com. Check the archives to get the picture of some unique recipes.
Heat up your kitchens ,I Hope to see unique and refreshing entries from all the enthusiastic foodies.

Following recipe is my entry for WHB #175.
Spicy Roasted Acorn Squash Soup
Acorn Squash belong to Winter Squash family,don't be mistaken by its name,these kind of squash are harvested in Fall and available year-round.With a long shelf life of 2-3 months,these squashes can be incredibly hard to peel and an easy way to cook them is to roast them.Using fresh herbs and spices while roasting is an added nutrition and flavor to these vitamin-rich squash.
Soup is got to be one the delightful dishes with the acorn squash.I stuffed the squash with spicy Onion tomato and herbs gravy and roasted it for a savory soup that makes a warm start of any meal.

Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 medium acorn squash,washed
1/2 a medium onion,chopped
1 big Plum tomato,finely chopped
1 big clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder\Cayenne pepper
1/2 a teaspoon each of cumin and coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoon Cilantro\Coriander,finely chopped
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 cup water or vegetable Stock

Method
Prepare the filling
Heat oil in a saucepan on medium heat,add onions and saute until lightly brown about 3-4 minutes,add the garlic ,saute for another minute before adding in the spices ,herbs and tomatoes.Cover and let cook about 5 minutes ,until tomatoes are tender.Now add a cup of water or vegetable stock and simmer for a minute.

Bake
Preheat oven to 400F(205C). Slice the top section of the squash ,clear the cavities of all the seeds(Don't throw them,toasted seeds are great for snacking) and threads.Set the squash on a baking sheet,pour in the filling and cover with the top.Let bake for about 50-60 minutes ,or until its soft to touch from outside.Also visible in the picture are the fingerling potatoes I baked along side the squash.

Blend
When cool enough to handle,pour back the filling in to the blender along with all scooped out pulp of the squash.Blend until smooth and return the soup in to the saucepan and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.Serve warm,topped with croutons.


Variation
If desired blend in a cup of cooked lentils(like Toor or Yellow Mung) puree for a smoother and even more nutritious soup.

Left Overs
The left over of this soup is great for making parathas(flat bread),just mix in a cup of left over soup in the wheat flour while making the dough ,for a wholesome spicy parathas.Or use as in a gravy with meat or vegetables.

Pumpkin Chocolate Biscotti(Conjoined Biscotti)

I loved the idea of adding pumpkin in a biscotti in Prudy's dark chocolate dipped pumpkin biscotti.I was keen about creating a conjoined biscotti ,but was very indecisive about binding a biscotti with 2 different flavors,unsure if the logs would attach without any binder.But to my amazement the two logs with my favorite flavors of chocolate and pumpkin attached firmly. Everyone in my family loved the 2 flavors in one biscotti,as its low in sugar and fat,Nabeel packed a few in his lunch box,my hubby dear enjoyed with his coffee,the littlest member(he is 19 months) of the house was more curious about chocolate and just gobbled the chocolate part and I was snacking on it till their were none.

Here is the recipe
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups of All purpose flour,divided for each log
1/2 cup of pumpkin puree fresh or canned
1/2 cup of Cocoa powder
1/2 cup of brown sugar or sugar substitute like Agave nectar,divided equally for each log
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder,divided
1/4 teaspoon of salt,divided equally for each log
2 Organic eggs,1 for each log
4 tablespoon Olive oil, use 2 tablespoon for each log.
1 teaspoon of Pure vanilla extract,divided equally for each log

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Make Pumpkin log
Sift together 1 1/2 cup of flour, salt, 1/4 cup of sugar,3/4 teaspoon of baking powder into a large bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together one egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and using a spatula and stir to make a cohesive mass.Sprinkle generous amount of flour on the work surface, get the dough out of the bowl and shape the dough into a large log.
Make Chocolate log
Similarly sift together 1 cup of flour, Cocoa powder,salt, 1/4 cup of sugar,3/4 teaspoon of baking powder into a large bowl.In another bowl whisk together one egg and vanilla extract. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture . Add few drops of milk if the mixture is too dry.Make a log just like the pumpkin log.
Attach the logs and bake
Bring the both the logs together,place them side by side and lightly press to attach.Carefully place on baking sheet lightly grease or lined with parchment paper.Bake for 30 minutes at 350 F until puffed and lightly brown.Let it cool for 30 minutes and then using a serrated knife cut cross wise in to about 15 thick slices.Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet and bake for an additional 15 minutes until crisp. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Stores up to a week in a tightly covered container.

Makes about 15 biscotti.


This is my entry for Lore's Original Recipe Event

Spaghetti Squash with Pumpkin seed Pesto

The Splendid Spaghetti squash have become our new found favorite vegetable ,for its one of a kind pasta with low calories ,no gluten and no fat. It is also referred as a dieter's dream, a four-ounce serving of spaghetti squash has only 37 calories. The nutty pesto sauce is a flavorsome complement with the mild flavor of the Spaghetti squash.

Kalyn's Weekend Herb Blogging event is celebrating incredible 3rd Anniversary .As part of 3rd anniversary celebration Kalyn is inviting everyone to blog about there favorite vegetable,fruits or herbs. Spaghetti squash is my favorite of the season and I decided to join in the celebration with this unique member of the pumpkin family. Do check out her blog to join in the exciting celebration.

How to Cook the Spaghetti Squash?
Halve the Squash using a sharp knife . Remove the string and seeds now or later when cooked.
For Baking
Preheat oven to 375F . Lay the squash halves on a roasting pan,add a cup of water. Bake for about 40-50 minutes until squash is feels slightly soft to touch.
For Boiling
Set on stove top with in a big pot with 2 cups of water. Boil at medium heat for about 30 minutes.
Clean the core of any string and seeds. Roast the seeds(just as the pumpkin seeds) and use in baking or snacking or salads or pesto.
Using the fork separate the strands ,a gluten-free,low carb ,fat-free Spaghetti is ready to eat in salads or with a sauce.You can even make a pie with the spaghetti squash,I'll plan to post the recipe soon.
Can be stored in the refrigerator in a tight container for up to a week.


(Original recipe posted here)
Recipe Spaghetti Squash with Pumpkin Pesto Sauce
Ingredients
4 cups cooked Spaghetti Squash
For Pesto
3/4 cup Toasted pumpkin seeds or Squash seeds
1 cup greens of your choice, Cilantro,mint,Spinach,Basil or Parsley
2 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lime juice
1 clove of Garlic,minced
1 finely chopped chilly (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Olive oil

Method
To make the pesto,blend all the pesto ingredients in to a coarse paste in a processor or blender,add about 3 tablespoons of water. The pesto can be store in the refrigerator for up to a week.Before serving mix in the pesto and the cooked spaghetti squash.

Pumpkin flan and Chocoholic Award

Pumpkin Flan is another palatable dessert for the season.Baking in individual molds is apt for dessert portion control. Recipe is same as the Rose Flan,Sara in this video is baking in an oven proof dish.I used fresh small pumpkin(pie pumpkin) , its puree is lighter yellow color verses the canned pumpkins which have a the darker orange color .To add more perk to the flan,you can top with the pumpkin seed candy.
I'm sending the recipe off to weekend wokking,this months theme is Pumpkins ,being hosted by Soli Deo Gloria of Heart and Hearth.


Ingredients for custard
2 cups whole milk
1 cup Pumpkin puree,I used fresh pumpkin puree,see how to puree a pumpkin here
2 Organic eggs

For caramel
3 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoon water

6 ramekins\molds or one 8 inch baking pan\oven proof dish.

Method
Same as the Rose flan recipe.


How to make the pumpkin seed candy for topping?

Lay the aluminum foil or parchment paper on a cookie sheet or a plate. Lightly Grease with few drops of oil,Spread about 2 tablespoon of toasted pumpkin seeds. Prepare the caramel just as in this recipe and pour over the seeds.Tilt the sheet a little to spread,don't try to touch, its super hot could burn your fingers. Wait patiently at least 15 minutes before removing from the foil ,use it for topping on custards.

Fall Foliage from a nature reservation very close to our place.

Previous Pumpkin Posts:
Multi Seed Bread
Egg less chocolate Pumpkin pie
Autumn Salad

Nazarina has passed me this Sweet Chocoholic award,Thanks Nazarina.Do Check out her Halloweeny Chocolate creations here.I truly love chocolate,when in my teens I was so indulgent in milk chocolate ,many a times I had developed acne on my face:). But as a responsible adult I'm limiting myself to healthy dark chocolate;)

I'd love to pass this award to following Sweet Bloggers:
Maimoona,Anu Divya,Adlak's Tiny World,Prudy,Clumbsy Cookie,Jersey Girl,Engineer Baker,Natashya,Cherrapeno,Jude,Happy cook,Zlamushka,Sia,Raaji,n33ma,Bharti,Lubna,Armina,Zee,Anjum,Mona,Syeda,Ramya Vijaykumar,Priti,Retno Prihadana,Arfi,Jaishree,Farida,Deeba,Meeso,Curry Leaf,Applemint,Purva,Sireesha,Dershana,Aparna,Sunshinemom,Nidhi,Suma,Divya Vikram,Priya,EasyCrafts,Srikar'sKitchen,SweetBites,Madhavi,Shreya,Sharmila,Sukanya Ramkumar,Deesha,Vandana,Sefa,Cham,Ivy
And to all the bloggers\Viewers who love chocolate:)

Autumn Salad With Pumpkin seeds ,Nuts,Fresh Fruits and Pita Chips

With pumpkins abundant in the season ,I'm having a jolly good time cooking and baking with it.The nutritious beneficial seeds bounteous in its core should never be ignored. Toast them and use in Breads, salads ,add in your bowl of oatmeal or cereals ,candy(I'll post that recipe soon) and or simply munch'em for snacks. The Autumn salad gets a sensational flavor from crunchy pumpkin seeds along fresh apples,oranges,toasty almonds and home made pita chips.

How to Toast Pumpkin seeds?
Separate all the strings from the seeds. Rinse in water until all clean. Simmer in boiling water with little bit of salt for 5-10 minutes. Preheat Oven to 375F. Drain all the water and lay the seeds on a baking sheet. Drizzle about a table spoon of Olive oil evenly and bake until toasty about 20 minutes.

Autumn Salad
Ingredients
4 leaves of Romaine lettuce
1 red skinned Apple
1 navel Orange
1/4 cup roasted Pumpkin seeds
handful of roasted Almonds or walnuts
For dressing
2 tablespoon apple juice concentrate
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin(zeera)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup pita chips(same as in the recipe,just cut in smaller bite-size squares)[use rice cracker for gluten-free salad]

Method
In a small bowl whisk together the apple juice concentrate,lime juice,Olive oil,cumin and black pepper until blended
Wash , dry and cut the lettuce leaves.Peel the oranges and remove the white pith. Cut the oranges and apples in half lengthwise. Before serving ,drizzle the dressing over the salad. Top with roasted almonds,pita chips and pumpkin seeds.

Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits of Pumpkins Seeds Pumpkin seeds are good source of protein and minerals like zinc and magnesium. Lowering cholesterol ,protection against certain kinds of cancer and reducing inflammation in conditions like arthritis are few of many health benefits of these wondrous seeds.
Autum Salad with fresh autumn ingredients is my entry for Kalyn'sWeekend Herb Blogging.Hosted this week by Laurie Helen Constantino of Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska

An Eggless Chocolate Pumpkin Pie from a Real Pumpkin,Not a Can!

Splendor of Autumn is simple and serene,with cool breeze ,leaves changing to beautiful colors and blanket of leaves camouflaging the ground.Its also time of harvest,gorgeous pumpkins ,colorful corns,juicy apples and vegetables like Avocado,Leeks,Sweet potatoes ,green beans,Brussels sprouts,aubergines(egg plants) ,spinach and beets are best in this season.


Pumpkin pie is the ultimate dessert of the season. But are you aware of the sky high calories in a creamy pumpkin pie or loss of nutrition after adding a cup of sugar ,a stick of butter and 3(some recipes have 4) eggs in each pie? Its close to 320 calories in just one slice! . To avoid all the guilt after eating such a high cholesterol high sugar dessert, I made this pie egg less with just half the sugar and half the fat. Inspiration of the egg less pie was this recipe from Mango power girl.I further reduced the fat from butter and sugar from MPG's original recipe.And to get the most from the flavor of pumpkin,first time ever i made the pie from scratch with home made crust and fresh pumpkin puree.
Most delighted about the low calorie pie was my better half, who is believe it or not ,more calories conscious than I am. I know one another person who would be just as delighted ,Madhuram from Eggless Cooking , who is hosting this month's A fruit A month: Pumpkin event. Madhuram ,this pie is coming up to you soon:)
I'm also sending this pie for Ivy's Sweet pie Contest

Ingredients
For Crust
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup Whole wheat flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 tablespoon(1/2 a stick) cold butter, cut in small cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup ice cold water

For Filling
1 pie pumpkin(recipe for puree follows) or 3 cups Canned Pumpkin puree
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ginger powder or 1/8th of a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon or Pumpkin Spice(mixture of ground nutmeg,cloves and cinnamon)
2 table spoon of cornstarch(substitute for 2 eggs)
1 cup Organic whole milk
2 tablespoon dark chocolate, finely chopped for topping

Method

Prepare the dough
Sift the flours,cocoa ,salt and cinnamon in bowl. Mix in the butter,using a food processor pulse while adding the cold water ,until just combined in to a crumbly mixture. Or use 2 fork and break the butter in to flour and mix it up while adding the cold water.
Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and allow to refrigerate for 30 minutes

Bake the Crust
Preheat Oven to 350F
Unwrap the dough. Spread some all purpose flour on work surface and using a rolling pin, roll out the dough in to size just bigger that your pan size(9 inches).Transfer the rolled dough to the pie or tart pan.Press gently to smooth it out and poke some holes using fork to prevent it from rising.
Bake the crust for in the middle rack of the oven for about 15-20 minutes until the crust is lightly crisp.
Bake the pie
Mix all the filling ingredient besides the chocolate. Pour it on the baked crust and spread evenly using a spatula. Sprinkle the dark chocolate in a swirl pattern or in just circles(needs some practice). Bake about 40-45 minutes ,filling will not rise much because its egg less, but the cornstarch should make the pie firm enough.
Cool completely and refrigerate at least 6 hours .To serve, slice with sharp knife .

How to Puree a Pumpkin?

The pumpkin pie tastes best with a fresh pumpkin. Roasting the pumpkin is an easier way to make its puree.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


Halve the pumpkin with a sharp knife.Remove all strings and seeds. Don't throw away the seeds. Wash and roast in oven ,great for munching or for baking.


Place the pumpkin halves cut side down in a roasting pan along with a cup of water.Bake the pumpkin until tender, about 90 minutes.Scoop the flesh out of each pumpkin half.Puree in a food processor or blender. Store in Refrigerator for a week and use in baking or cooking.

Pumpkin Nutrition facts
Pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene Vitamin A,that may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protect against heart disease.It is also a good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Potassium, Copper and Manganese,all essential for over all good health.


An Award

Lovely ladiesSuma and Syeda have passed me the beautiful butterfly award. Thanks a million Suma and Syeda :). As per rules I'm passing it to 10 other cool blogs.

Bharti, Happy Cook,Arfi ,Sameera, Mona,Dershana,Meeso ,Anjum,Maimoona,Zee, Farida