Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 17 mins
- Total Time: 22 mins
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 12 ounces fusilli pasta (or other shaped pasta)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced thyme
- 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 ounces shredded gouda
- ½ cup toasted panko
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Stir together milk and pumpkin puree.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add a generous amount of salt (2½ – 3 tablespoons) and then the pasta. Boil pasta for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Sprinkle flour over melted butter and whisk together. Allow mixture to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in thyme.
- Whisk pumpkin-milk mixture into flour mixture and continue to whisk until fully incorporated. Allow mixture to simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat and stir cheese into the béchamel sauce, in small handfuls, and stir until cheese just melts before adding more cheese.
- Reduce heat to low and gently stir pasta into the sauce, ½ cup at a time until all of the pasta has been added and is fully coated in sauce. Adjust seasonings.
- Serve Pumpkin Mac and Cheese into bowls and top with fresh thyme and toasted panko.
- Prep time: 10 mins
- Cook time: 45 mins
- Total time: 55 mins
- 1 pound ground beef (or lean ground turkey meat)
- ½ large onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin purée
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (4 ounce) can tomato sauce with garlic and onions
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Sea salt, to taste
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook and stir until crumbly and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and pepper flakes; cook until beef is browned and onion softened. Add bell peppers; cook 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine diced tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, great Northern beans, pumpkin purée, fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato sauce with garlic and onions in a large slow cooker; season with pumpkin pie spice, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir in ground beef mixture.
- Cover slow cooker. Cook on Low until chili is hot, 1 to 2 hours.
- Garnish with your favorite toppings such as diced avocado, fresh chopped parsley/cilantro, sliced red chili, cheese, or Greek yogurt.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Servings: 3-4
- 1 pumpkin (about 1-2 pounds), diced
- 4 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- ¼ cup Pine Nuts (optional)
- 5 ounces Baby Spinach Leaves (about 4 handfuls)
- 2 ounces crumbled Feta
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Toss diced pumpkin in 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, flip and bake for 7-10 more minutes until golden brown. Let cool.
- Combine 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and pepper in a jar and shake for dressing.
- If using pine nuts, toast in a dry skillet over medium heat until lightly golden.
- Add spinach, pumpkin, feta and pine nuts to a large bowl. Toss in dressing to combine.
