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Pumpkin Ravioli

My kids love ravioli.  It is one of their favorite things to eat.  It is not easy to find something they both love, or at least it sure seems that way sometimes.  So I like to make it for them now and then for dinner.  The only problem is ravioli tends to be filled with meat or cheese or even both.  So I decided to give pumpkin a try.  It turned out to be a very good decision!  As I have said before in an earlier blog, I am not exactly crazy about pumpkin, but I loved these raviolis.  They tasted so much better than I thought they would be and I can't wait to have them again!  Even my husband was surprised, and he likes pumpkin far less than I.  So here is another great fall recipe for you to try.  They are really not that hard to make especially not having to make your own dough.  Just make sure there are no eggs in the dough, if you are going a vegan route - most seem to have eggs.  I used gyoza wrappers, but you could also try wonton if you prefer. If you can't find vegan Parmesan in the store, you can use the easy recipe at the end of this post.  Also, you can use fresh sage (about 16 leaves) instead of the dried stuff. 


Pumpkin Ravioli
Makes 4 servings

1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree or 1 1/2 cups

1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

pinch of ground nutmeg

2 Tbsp vegan Parmesan, plus more for garnish

salt and black pepper to taste

24 gyoza wrappers

4 Tbsp Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks

1/2 tsp. rubbed sage



Mix the pumpkin, vinegar, nutmeg, and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.

Working on a clean surface, lay down a single gyoza wrapper and place a small spoonful of the pumpkin mixture in the center, being careful not to overstuff (I used about 1 1/2 - 2 tsp).  Rub the edges of the wrapper with water, then fold in half.  Press firmly around the edges with your fingers to secure the filling inside the ravioli.  Repeat with the remaining wrappers to create 24 ravioli.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.  Salt the water and turn down the heat to medium so that it's gently boiling.  Carefully drop in the ravioli and cook for 3 minutes, then drain.

In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter and sage.  Cook until butter is lightly brown and begins to give off a nutty aroma.  (Do this carefully so you don't burn the butter.)  Add the cooked ravioli to the pan and toss gently to make sure they don't break.  Sprinkle with Parmesan if desired.



Homemade Vegan Parmesan

1/2 cup blanched almonds or white sesame seeds
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 - 2 tsp light miso
heaping 1/4 tsp salt

Grind almonds or sesame seeds to a fine powder in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Add remaining ingredients and pulse or process until well mixed.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Shake container before using to break up any lumps.  Will keep for a month or longer.  May be frozen.

Fluffy Vegan Pumpkin Biscuits

I am not a huge pumpkin fan, but for some reason it has been sounding kind of good lately.  Maybe I am just really into the season this year.  Anyway I thought I would try some pumpkin flavored biscuits to have with our soup this week and they actually tasted really good.  I found the recipe from An Opera Singer in the Kitchen http://www.singerskitchen.com/.  I didn't have the whole wheat white flour she called for, so I went with whole wheat pastry flour and it turned out well. I am sure all purpose white flour would work as well. So if you are having a hankoring for something with pumpkin or just want to try something new, this recipe is simple and delicious!

Fluffy Vegan Pumpkin Biscuits
makes a dozen 

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 Tsp. baking powder3/4 tsp. salt
2 Tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3 Tsp. Earth Balance margarine
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup So Delicious coconut milk
2 Tsp. agave nectar

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, and spices. Blend in the margarine using a pastry blender.

In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, coconut milk, and agave nectar.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until the mixture holds together. Knead lightly on a floured surface and roll out to 1″ thickness. Using a 2″ biscuit butter, cut the dough into circles.
 
Re-roll the scraps and cut out biscuits until you have used all of the dough. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
 
Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.







Apple Nachos

It is apple season time and my family loves apples.  This year I spotted a recipe for some apple nachos and just had to try them!  My family kept having me repeat that I was going to make them "apple" nachos.  They thought they must be hearing me wrong.  Anyway it was a big hit!  You really can't go wrong making these - and the fun thing is you can really get creative with what you put on these.  You definitely want crispy apples and the slightly tart goes really well with all the sweet things you put on them - so keep that in mind.  This is what I did with my nachos - but feel free to be creative and put your favorite things on it.


Apple Nachos

3 crispy and slightly tart apples
3 tbsp creamy natural peanut butter
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 chopped pecans
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Slice the apples thin enough so it would be easy to eat the slice in one or two bites.
Then melt the peanut butter, until it is runny, and drizzle it all over the apples. Next, top the apples and peanut butter with sliced almonds, chopped pecans, coconut flakes and chocolate chips. Then go nuts!