Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins

This year I got ambitious and saved the pumpkin meat from our jack-o-lantern pumpkins. It took a lot of time but it was so satisfying. It hurts me to see pumpkins smashed in the road or left to rot. And pumpkins are yummy. And maybe my Grandma Hurst is smiling in heaven. So now I'm faced with a whole ice cream bucket full of pumpkin. What's a girl to do? Make pumpkin soup. And pumpkin bread. And pumpkin cookies. I'll probably still end up having to can or freeze the rest. Here are the recipes I used for the bread and the soup. Yummy, and healthy too.

"Healthified" Pumpkin Bread

source: eatbetteramerica.com

This is a lower fat, higher fiber alternative to pumpkin bread, but yummy, yummy.

50% less fat • 29% fewer calories • 50% more fiber than the original recipe—see the comparison. We’ve scooped out some of the fat from this popular bread and spooned in whole wheat flour. Delicious! From eatbetteramerica.

Prep Time:20 min
Start to Finish:2 hr 40 min
makes:2 loaves (12 slices each)

2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1 1/2cups Gold Medal® whole wheat flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) (I used 1 3/4 C. pumpkin)

1 cup fat-free (skim) milk

3/4 cup fat-free egg product (or 3 eggs)

1/2 cup canola oil

1.
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms only of two 9x5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves until well blended.

2.
In medium bowl, mix pumpkin, milk, egg product and oil until well blended. Stir into flour mixture until well blended. Spoon batter evenly into pans.

3.
Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Decrease baking soda to 1 1/2 teaspoons.

Nutritional Information
1 Slice: Calories 190 (Calories from Fat 45); Total Fat 5g (Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 240mg; Total Carbohydrate 32g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 18g); Protein 3g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 60%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 4%; Iron 6% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 MyPyramid Servings: 1 tsp Fats & Oils, 1 oz-equivalents Grains *% Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Pumpkin Soup

source: Allrecipes.com

(submitted by Lea Ogawa)

Ingredients
6 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
5 whole black peppercorns
Directions
Heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.
Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or blender.
Return to pan, and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir in heavy cream. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

(I substituted fat free canned milk for the heavy cream, and used fat free chicken stock).

Nutritional Information
Pumpkin Soup
Servings Per Recipe: 9
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 111
Total Fat: 6.6g
Cholesterol: 18mg
Sodium: 1323mg
Total Carbs: 11.9g
Dietary Fiber: 3.6g
Protein: 3.1g