Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Pumpkins, eggs, and oil in the mix makes for a moist, flavorful pancake with a crepe-like texture.  Credit is due to the wonderful book Practical Paleo for the recipe.  Easy, healthy, and delicious, these pancakes have become a Sunday morning staple in Veggie Wonder-land.  They're also grain-free and paleo, with lots of fiber and protein to boot.  

Most pumpkins and squashes will do, and the recipe works especially well with a butternut squash base.  The brand and texture of squash mixed in does influence the taste - the Kroger organic brand I tried this morning resulted in a thicker, more substantial pancake than the standard Libby's brand version.  

Enjoy!

You will need:

• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup canned squash (pumpkin or butternut squash work very well)
• 2 spoonfulls of melted butter or oil
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• dash vanilla
• equal amounts of pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon, to taste
• sweetener to taste (maple syrup recommended)
• chocolate chips or chunks (optional)

1. Mix wet ingredients, and then stir in the dry ingredients.
2. Fry in greased or nonstick skillet on medium heat.  A 2-3'' diameter cake works well.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips if desired.  Flip after a few bubbles appear.
3. Enjoy!

Green Snacks for Your Next Party

 My aunt never ceases to amaze me with her creativity.  At a recent family gathering, she worked with my cousins to create these clever snack boxes full of green goodies.  Every party has a theme, and the goodie bags are selected accordingly.  In this case, it was the food packaging that was green (colored).  I can't guarantee that everything here was environmentally friendly.  However, the products did come to us packaged in green colored boxes or baggies, often with green product names to boot.  And one could certainly make good use of the recycle bin container in which everything was stored!  My goodie bag contained:

• Beigel Beigel Long Thick Sesame Stick Pretzels
• Emerald brand Sea Salt & Pepper Cashews
• GoGo Squeez appleapple (squeezable applesauce!)
• Jalapeno Heat Dirty Potato Chips
• Joray Sour Apple Fruit Roll
• Laffy Taffy in Sour Apple
• Lime 
• Mike and Ike Candy
• Sour Power Belts (Green Apple)
• Turkey Hill Green Tea

Most of the contents were allergy friendly.  All were kid-friendly and kosher.  Any subset would be great for a children's party or St. Patrick's Day. 

The Turkey Hill Green Tea says "green" on the cap!

Personal pumpkin bowls

The pumpkin, midway through the preparations.

 Fresh pumpkin is delicious and has a taste entirely different from that of the canned stuff we find on sale at the grocery store around Thanksgiving.  A smallish orange pumpkin can be cooked in the microwave.

You will need:

• 1 small orange pumpkin (2-3 lbs or less)
• Spices: pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and sweetener to taste

1. Place the whole pumpkin in the microwave.
2. Cook on high for 5 minutes on high to soften the pumpkin.
3. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the innards.  You may bake the seeds and eat them later if you like.
4. Place the pumpkin halves face down on a plate, and fill the plate with water.
5. Microwave the pumpkin halves for 10 minutes on high, or until soft.
6. Season each half to taste with the spices.
7. Mash the pumpkin and spices together with a fork.
8. Enjoy!

Note: cooking times will depend on the size of your pumpkin and the power of your microwave.  If this is your first time cooking a winter squash in the microwave, exercise caution and cook the squash for shorter periods and check up on it periodically.