Tasty Homemade Pumpkin Cookies

These pumpkin cookies are very simple and fairly quick to make, not to mention delicious. And if you use vegan margarine they are suitable for vegans.

Ingredients: (makes 12 cookies)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup margarine

¼ cup canned or pre-cooked pumpkin

¼ cup sultanas (or raisins or currants)

2 tbsp Agave nectar (or maple syrup)

1 tbsp pumpkin spice

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp olive oil
Coconut flakes (optional)

tbsp = tablespoon

tsp = teaspoon

Directions: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Lightly oil a baking sheet.

In a bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda and pumpkin spice.

In another combine the canned or pre-cooked pumpkin, margarine, olive oil, vanilla extract, sultanas and maple syrup/agave.

Add one of the mixtures to the other and mix together until you get a stiff pastry. Mould into a ball and on a floured surface roll out to about ¼ - ⅓ of an inch thick.

With your pastry cutter or an upturned glass, cut out 2 inch pastry circles. Gather the scraps together and roll out and cut more circles.

Gently pick up the pastry circles, a spatula is good for this, and place on the oiled baking sheet. Sprinkle on the coconuts flakes and place in your oven and bake for 15 minutes until golden.

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Spiced Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe

If you swap the milk and yoghurt for soy or rice milk/yoghurt, this pumpkin smoothie is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Ingredients: (makes 2 servings)

½ a can (200g) pumpkin (or 1 cup of cooked)
2 cups (500 ml) milk
1 cup (250 ml) yoghurt (plain or vanilla)
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla essence
Agave nectar, honey or maple syrup (optional)

tsp = teaspoon

Directions: Using a blender or food processor, blend the canned or pre-cooked pumpkin, vanilla essence, yoghurt,  milk and pie spice.

If using, add the agave/honey/syrup and serve immediately. Or for a nice chilled smoothie, place in the refrigerator for an hour or so.

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Homemade Sage Tea Recipe

For thousands of years traditional medicine has used a spice or herb tea to treat any number of medical and health conditions, and with its anti-bacterial, antifungal and antibiotic properties the sage herb is essential to your well-being. And making a cup of sage tea is an excellent way of experiencing these benefits.

Sage Tea Recipe

Ingredients: (Makes 2 cups)

2 cups water
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
Juice of half a lemon
OR
1 tbsp dried sage
Juice of half a lemon

tbsp = tablespoon

Directions:

Fresh: Add the chopped sage leaves and lemon to a cup. Pour on some boiled water and let steep (sit) for 10-15 minutes before drinking. Sage can be a bit chewy, so you may need to remove the chopped herb prior to drinking.

Dried: If you're using dried, use just you like you would loose leaf tea leaves, and follow the instructions for fresh.


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Thyme Tea Recipe

 

With it's powerful antiseptic properties there are many thyme tea benefits, and for centuries this herb has been made into a tea and used as a traditional and ancient remedy for easing the symptoms of colds and flu, soothing a sore throat and for treating inflamed gums and mouth ulcers.

Thyme Tea Recipe

Ingredients: (makes 2 cups)

2 cups water
2tbsp fresh thyme
OR
1tbsp dried thyme

tbsp = tablespoon

Directions:

Fresh: Add the chopped thyme to the cups and pour on some boiled water. Let steep for 5-15 minutes before drinking.

Dried: Use just like you would loose leaf tea leaves, i.e  just  pour on some boiled water and let steep for 10-15 minutes.

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Homemade Pumpkin Soup Recipe

 

Homemade Pumpkin Soup Recipe With Roasted Vegetables

This homemade pumpkin soup recipe with roasted vegetables is super easy and very tasty!

 

Ingredients: (makes 2 servings)

1 medium size pumpkin or winter squash
3 stalks celery
1 green pepper
1 medium onion
1 pint of vegetable stock (20fl oz) - (You probably won't use all of it)
1 tbsp pumpkin spice
Oil for coating the veggies (I use olive oil)
salt & pepper
chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

tbsp = tablespoon

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 180C (350f)
• Slice the pumpkin or squash in half, remove the seeds and oil the cut sides. Place the pumpkin cut side down on a baking tray
• Remove the seeds from the pepper, and along with the the celery and onion, chop into small pieces. Oil them and put on the tray with the squash or pumpkin
• Place in the hot oven and roast for 30-40 minutes
• Let cool, then scoop out the flesh from the pumpkin and place in your food processor/blender with the other veggies.
• Add some stock and pumpkin pie spice and blend until you get the thickness that you want
• Season with salt and pepper before serving

That's it! You can eat it as it is, or for a smoother soup you can put it through a sieve.

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Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe

                                                                                     

Now thanksgiving is getting closer, why not try making the easy homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe below?

This simple recipe will give all your pumpkin recipes a fresh and intense flavour that you just don't get with bland commercial pumpkin spice!

Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe

Ingredients: (makes about ¼ of a cup)

3tbsp ground cinnamon
2tbsp ground ginger
2tbsp grated nutmeg
1tbsp ground cloves
1tbsp ground allspice

tbsp = tablespoon

Directions: Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight jar out of direct sunlight.

That's it! It really is that easy! 

But...if you really want to take the flavour to the next level, why not try lightly roasting whole cloves and allspice berries first before mixing with the ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg?

For tips and info on roasting and grinding spices see cooking with spices.

Homemade Fenugreek Tea Recipe

Making a cup of fenugreek tea is a great way of enjoying this underused spice. Fenugreek is a bitter spice packed full of health benefits!

Just a few of the many fenugreek benefits include...

• Rich in vitamins and minerals
• It's an effective treatment for asthma and bronchital conditions
• Can be used externally to treat skin irritations; acne, eczema and minor burns
• Often used to soothe and ease the symptons of colds, sore troats and flu

These are just a some of the health issues this spice may be effective against, and current medical studies are finding new uses all the time.

Recipe For Fenugreek Seed Tea...

Ingredients: (makes 2 cups of tea)

2 cups of water
2 tsps ground or crushed fenugreek seeds
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
½ tsp grated nutmeg (optional)
Agave nectar or honey (optional)

tsp = teaspoon

Directions:

Add the crushed or ground fenugreek and water to a saucepan. If using add the ground nutmeg as well. Heat the water to  *boiling and then turn down the heat to a simmer, and simmer for a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat and add the lemon. Let steep (sit) for 10 - 15 minutes before straining and serving. You can reheat first if you like.

Add the honey/agave if you have a sweet tooth

*I don't boil spices for too long as it can negate some of the fenugreek benefits.

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