Pumpkin Egg Nog Custard {Using Monk Fruit in the Raw}

“I received free samples from Cumberland Packing Corp., maker of Monk Fruit In The Raw. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsoredby Cumberland Packing Corp. and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

My sweet tooth is very snobby.  Any plain ol' cookie or cake just doesn't cut it. In fact, believe it or not, I could live quite happily without said cookies or cakes in my life, well, mostly. Which is why every single Christmas I go through a very serious internal battle with myself over the whole Holiday baking thing. Not only do I have a slightly snobby sweet tooth but I've never really liked to bake cookies, cakes or anything involving flour, measuring and decorating. There I said it. Please don't hate me. 

Really, I think that it is mostly because, IMHO baking goodies involves a lot of precision and dedication to the written recipe and I don't do well with exact measurements…... or following directions. Rather, I like to think of my kitchen as a laboratory where I can change up any recipe to my own liking, an experiment if you will. 

Creating a delicious dish that never existed before, all on your own is my idea of pure satisfaction.

This months Recipe Redux Challenge was to replace table sugar in a baked goodie with Monk Fruit in the Raw. Since cookies and cakes weren't in the cards for me I really had to think on this one. Finishing off a once a year Holiday meal with an individual serving of custard sounds about right to me. The pumpkin is not overwhelming in this custard nor is it too sweet thanks to the sugar replacement.


The flavors are all mild yet decadent and the thick, creamy bourbony custard sets on your tongue just long enough for you to relax and enjoy the moment.

Replacing Monk Fruit in the Raw for table sugar cuts the calories significantly. It's the best sugar substitute I've come across and has zero calories.

As I mentioned above, patience is not exactly one of my virtues. This part takes patience. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the cheesecloth lined sieve and strain over a deep bowl. The mixture is thick so it very slowly drains. I used a spatula to coax the mixture through. Don't smash the mixture though, that will defeat the purpose of straining it. You want the liquids to strain through, not the bulk. 

So, what is Monk Fruit in the Raw?  

It's an all natural sweetener made from vine-ripened monk fruit, also called luo han guo, it has zero-calories and tastes just like sugar. Originally harvested in the 13th century, it’s been making life more delicious for years now. You substitute Monk Fruit in the Raw equally for table sugar. 

Where can you find it? It's a very new product so unless you live on the East coast you will probably have to order it on line. If you do, please help support Simply Healthy Family by ordering it from our Amazon store here.






The flavors of egg nog where used in this custard, not actual egg nog since custards are already egg based. I used a bourbon, vanilla extract which I highly suggest you get your hands on some and thick and creamy condensed milk. Nutmeg and cinnamon make this custard a delicious Holiday treat.

• 
  
• PREP TIME    20 MINUTES      BAKE TIME    50-70 MINUTES      YIELDS    4
• 
  
• You will need:
• 
  
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup Monk Fruit in the Raw
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
• 4 large egg yolks 
• 1 large egg 
• 1 cup half-and-half 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 (12-ounce) can fat-free evaporated milk 
• Crushed ginger snap cookies for topping (which I of course forgot to picture.)

1. 1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. 2.  In the bowl of a mixer, place pumpkin, 1/3 cup Monk Fruit in the Raw and next 4 ingredients (through whole egg) On medium speed, beat until well blended. 
3. 3. Place half-and-half and next 4 ingredients (through milk) in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge, stirring occasionally. Add milk mixture to pumpkin mixture. Beat at low speed 1 minute. Strain mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl. Discard solids. Divide mixture evenly among 4 (4-ounce) ramekins. Place ramekins in a large roasting pan. Add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch; bake at 325° for 50-70 minutes or until center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove ramekins from pan; cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill 4 hours.

Sprinkle crushed ginger snaps over top and dollop with whipped cream if desired.

Healthy Pumpkin Quinoa Cookies

I am pretty sure that I was an extremely well mannered and very grateful child. I know that I  NEVER traded my lovingly packed brown sack lunch which was made up of either  PB&J or Spam sandwiches, yes Spam, and crudités for unhealthy, sugar laden treats like Ding Dongs (which were gloriously wrapped in tin foil) and Twinkies that the other kids (who's parents obviously didn't love them) sported in their Rainbow Bright lunch boxes. Indeed, I was an unusually thoughtful and agreeable child (not to mention cute and lovable) who never, ever, EVER complained about or threw away her healthy, home made lunches. 

The End. (Nobody who reads this knows my parents right?)

My children, my own flesh and blood are tempting my patience when it comes to eating healthy, home made foods. Yes, I have succumbed to the fact that each of my 4 children go through their phases of not liking one thing or another, never at the same time mind you. And I have relented to the reality that dinner time is more akin to an ugly, major court hearing where I am the judge, lawyer, jury and henchman.  

What manages to get on my very last, frazzled nerve however is that my spawn  children begged and pleaded on their adorable little knees to pleeeease make them lunch because the school lunches were "gross" (can't disagree there). So I did. Again.

And they are complaining about it.

Again.

I roasted a 'pie' pumpkin at 400F for about 40 min. then scooped out the flesh and pureed. Your cookies will be much lighter in color then if you use canned pumpkin. Make sure you poke several holes in you pumpkin before roasting to let out steam! Otherwise it can explode, trust me. :(

 In fact, child numero dos had the nerve to tell me that he "changed his mind, the school lunches weren't so bad after all."  Punk.

I mean I have been making these cute little treats packed lovingly with a love note from Dear ol' Mom.

Pinterest pinners must not have boys.

These pumpkin cookies were a hit with the Spawn, the Kale pesto turkey wraps, not so much. Baby steps. I think I will stick to making these for breakfast cookies and after school snacks. 

Recipe Source:  Healthful Pursuit

YIELDS  24 SMALL COOKIES       PREP TIME  15 MINUTES    BAKE TIME 30 MINUTES

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup raw quinoa
• 1 cup (150 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar 
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup (130 grams) pureed pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg white 
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:

Add quinoa to a fine mesh stainer and rinse well. Add water and quinoa to a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few of minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.

Add flour, sugar, ground flax, pumpkin spice mix and salt to a large bowl. Add 1½ cups of the cooked quinoa to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined.Add pumpkin, oil, vanilla, egg white and maple syrup to a small bowl and stir well. Pour the wet mixture in with the dry mixture and stir to combine. Scoop into small balls and place on prepared baking sheet. They will not spread out, so you can keep the cookies close. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through and golden. Remove from the oven, let cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack and allowing them to cool for a couple of hours. Cookies will become firmer as they cool.

Pumpkin, Chickpea and Red Lentil Stew {slow cooker}

We have to create our own sense of Fall here in Phoenix. Sadly, it's still in the upper 90's most of the day, cooling down to a brisk 85F by dinner time. *sighhh

No worries. Flavors of the season can still make me feel like it's actually Fall outdoors and if I close my eyes and breath in deeply, inhaling the scents of pumpkin, and spices coming from the kitchen I can almost imagine the oranges, yellows and reds of changing leaves.

Then I open my eyes, look out the window and remember cacti don't have leaves. Oh well. Bring on the stew!

This was the first of many delicious, full of flavor comforting autumn foods we will enjoy this season.
It did in fact have more broth than the picture showed but I must not have put enough in this bowl. I love slow cooker meals as they are a life saver during the busy school and work weekdays. With 4 kids we have practices, cub scouts and dance lessons most every evening. It's so nice to walk in the door to a hot, home made dinner we can all sit down to together.

Is there anything better than slow cooked pumpkin in mild spices? The ginger was amazing in this and I think I will add a bit more next time, maybe a pinch of cinnamon too. This dish is full of good for you protein and is a very filling dinner. The kids all loved it!

Makes: 6 servings

Prep 25 minutesCook 8 hrs to 10 hrs  (low) or 4-5 hours (high)

ingredients

• 1                     pound pie pumpkin or winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1
  1 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans),  soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
• 3
  medium carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1
  cup chopped onion (1 large)
• 1
  cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 2
  tablespoons tomato paste
• 1
  tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1
  tablespoon lime juice
• 1
  teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4
  teaspoon salt
• 1/2
  teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4
  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4
  cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4
  cup chopped peanuts
• 2
  tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 
  
• Plain nonfat yogurt (optional)
• 
  

directions

1.In a 3-1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, combine pumpkin, chickpeas, carrots, onion, lentils, tomato paste, ginger, lime juice, cumin, salt, turmeric, and pepper. Pour broth over all in cooker.

2.Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Top each serving with peanuts, cilantro, and if desired, yogurt. Makes 6 (1-1/3 cup) servings.

Pumpkin Applesauce Belgian Waffles with Orange Cranberry Chutney

My 6 year olds chin is on my shoulder staring past me on the computer screen at these waffles. As I wipe the drool off my arm he says  " Mom why can't we have these for dinner every night, then I would never ever say Ewwww, I don't like that?"   Gotta Love the logic and common sense of a 6 year old boy. I suppose I wouldn't mind having these for dinner more often either I mean why give breakfast all the fun?

These are perfectly suited for a Fall dinner especially with this tangy sweet cranberry chutney but they are also extremely simple to make and healthy enough for a weekend breakfast or brunch. It's still in the

TRIPLE

       freaking

     digits

here in Phoenix and I really  neeeeed  these pumpkin waffles and cranberry sauce in my life right now to remind me that there is such a thing as 4 seasons....... somewhere.

 I start hoarding cans of pumpkin as soon as they hit the shelves in late September. Around the end of October I think they start hiding them from me at my local Trader Joe's.  Something about saving a few for other customers  blah blah blah.....

Use fresh cranberries, which I also keep well stocked year round in my freezer instead of canned. You won't believe the difference in taste, no comparison. As soon as these babies start simmering and slowly popping open and infusing with the orange juice and zest I am bouncing on my toes in anticipation of the blissfully tangyness  that is about to happen in my mouth.

Cranberries have long been valued for their ability to help prevent and treat urinary tract infections. Now, recent studies suggest that this native American berry may also promote gastrointestinal and oral health, prevent the formation of kidney stones, lower LDL and raiseHDL (good) cholesterol, aid in recovery from stroke, and even help prevent cancer.

Fresh cranberries, which contain the highest levels of beneficial nutrients, are at their peak from October through December, just in time to add their festive hue, tart tangy flavor and numerous health protective effects to your holiday meals. When cranberries' short fresh season is past, rely on cranberry juice and dried or frozen cranberriesto help make every day throughout the year a holiday from disease.

Spoon the still hot cranberry chutney over your piping hot pumpkin waffles and skip the syrup. 

PREP TIME 10 MINUTES        COOK TIME 15 MINUTES          YIELDS about 10 waffles 

INGREDIENTS:  

2 cups unbleached whole wheat flour 

1/4 cup flax meal (ground flax) - put it on oatmeal, yogurt, muffins, cookies etc. 

1/2 cup wheat germ - {you can also put it on oatmeal, yogurt, muffins and cookies} 

1/3 cup turbinado (raw) sugar 

2 TBSP baking powder 

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or (1/2 t cinnamon + 1/4 t ground ginger + 1/8 t nutmeg + 1/8 t ground cloves, 1 tsp nutmeg 

1/2 tsp fine salt 

1 cup almond milk or low fat milk 

1 - 14 oz. can pumpkin puree 

1/4 cup unsalted, melted butter 

2 large eggs 

1 egg white 

chopped pecans or walnuts for topping

Beat together the milk, pumpkin, melted butter, agave and eggs in a bowl. In another bowl, mix together flour, wheat germ, flax meal, baking powder, spices and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in wet ingredients. Mix together until just combined. 

Pour into a preheated waffle maker. 

*If you have settings on yours, set it to med. otherwise, you might have to remove them before the light goes off so as not to burn. They will be moist and delicious!!!

Cranberry Compote  makes about 4 cups 

1 - 12 oz. bag whole, fresh cranberries (found in the produce isle)
1/4 cup O.J.
1 TBSP orange zest
2 TBSP Agave nectar (or raw turbinado sugar)
1 cup water
2 TBSP cornstarch
1 tsp real vanilla extract

Mix cornstarch in a measuring cup with about 1/4 cup of the water. Bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cornstarch mixture. Lower heat. Cook about 8 minutes. You can use this as a topping on yogurt too. My 9 month old loves this!

Nutrition Info
Calories 208
Calories from Fat 78 (37%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 8.8g 13%

Saturated Fat 3.0g 14%

Monounsaturated Fat 3.0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2.1g

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 40mg 13%

Sodium 290mg 12%
Potassium 320mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 28.1g 9%
Dietary Fiber 4.8g 19%
Sugars 3.4g
Protein 6.8g 13%

This post was created for the Monthly Mingle October edition featuring "squash" hosted this month by 

Dara over at Cookin' Canuck.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls w Maple Icing in parchment

i've never been a big fan of cinnamon rolls...........

are you still with me? Do you still trust me? Think I'm off my rocker? 

Well, that's beside the point. What was the point? Oh yes! Cinnamon rolls. They are just so, so sweet. Too sweet in my opinion. I just feel sick after eating one, same with root beer floats I love them but just can't stomach them. poor me. These pumpkin rolls had just the right balance of sweetness to satisfy my sweet tooth with out all the gluttony and guilt. The maple syrup cream cheese frosting was really the sweet treat in these. 

Now if you add pumpkin to the mix, I'll eat anything ..... anything. Kind of like with meat, pork specifically I can't stand it but if you put it in Mexican food covered with a decent home made spicy red sauce, I'll eat a pig alright. The point is, I love pumpkin. Stay with me people.

So when I saw this recipe on My Baking Addiction adapted from King Arthur made by Good Life Eats..... well you get the point, it's been enjoyed around the block. I knew this is what I had to make for my friend Brandi who has been graciously helping me out all year by taking my son to school on my early morning work days. Thanks Brandi!

Oh! Instead of making these in a cake pan I used a muffin tin.  I cut squares of parchment paper into squares and then put the cut dough into the muffin pan. This made it easier and prettier to give as a gift I think.

Risen and ready for the oven.

pumpkin rolls in parchment

tip: pumpkin makes these rolls denser than regular cinnamon rolls so they are best right out of the oven or re-heated for a few seconds in the microwave. Also, cut the cooking time down by 5-8 minutes if you are using my muffin tin method. enjoy!

pumpkin cinnamon rolls w/ maple icing

Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls

Prep Time: 50 min + rising time

Cook Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

DOUGH:
4 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned (unsweetened) pumpkin puree
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup lukewarm water (105 – 110 degrees F)
1 packet active dry yeast
1 Tablespoon granulated white sugar
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra- as needed
cooking spray

FILLING:
4 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

ICING:
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup pure grade B maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Spray a non-reactive bowl with nonstick spray. Set aside. Line a 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients of the dough (through egg) until well combined. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together warm water, yeast and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is frothy and active. If after 5 minutes yeast does not appear active, discard the mixture and start over with a newer, fresher yeast packet.

4. Place flour in a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Add yeast mixture and pumpkin mixture to the flour. Stir until ingredients have incorporated into a dough. If using a stand mixer, attach a dough hook and knead on medium speed for 5 minutes. If kneading by hand, turn dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes. The desired consistency of the dough should be soft and just slightly sticky. Add more flour as necessary throughout the kneading process until you achieve the proper consistency.

5. Form dough into a ball and transfer to the oiled bowl. Toss dough around in the bowl to coat all sides lightly with oil. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Place in a warm, draft-free spot. Let the dough rise until nearly doubled, usually 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

6. Roll dough into a 16x10-inch rectangle on a large, lightly floured piece of parchment or waxed paper. While rolling out the dough, make sure it’s not sticking to the surface. Lift the dough and sprinkle flour underneath, as needed.

7. Spread a thin layer of butter over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining filling ingredients. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the butter. Roll dough into a tight spiral- jelly roll style- by rolling the 16-inch long edge closest to you over the filling. Continue rolling dough into a log until the opposite edge is on the bottom. Slice dough into 12 even pieces and arrange in the prepared baking dish cut-side up. Cover the pan with oiled plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let rolls rise for 30 minutes in a warm, draft-free area. They’ll get puffy and smash into each other as they rise. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

8. Remove towel and plastic wrap. Bake until tops and edges are golden and rolls are cooked through- 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before icing.

9. Place a baking sheet over the dish of cinnamon rolls. Invert rolls onto the baking sheet and peel away parchment paper. Flip the rolls onto your choice of serving dish. Whisk together the icing ingredients until smooth, then spoon evenly over all of the cinnamon rolls, allowing it to dribble down the sides.

Tips:

*To create a warm, draft-free place for rising, use your oven… turn on the oven for 30 seconds, then turn it off, turn the light on, and place your bowl inside the very slightly warmed oven. It’s a great place for your dough to rise if your oven is not in use.
*Make-ahead tip: Once your cut cinnamon rolls are in the pan, you can wrap them with plastic wrap at this point and refrigerate them overnight. Take them out of the fridge and let them warm up in the morning (at room temperature) and do their rising. Then you can continue with baking.
*These are best the day they’re made, but they’re also good re-heated the following day.
*Cinnamon rolls store better when they’re kept together since the edges will dry out if separated.