Visiting a pumpkin patch and carving pumpkins is a fun activity for young children. Why not add something new to the Halloween tradition. Instead of throwing the pumpkin out after Halloween, turn it into old-fashioned pumpkin bread or cookies. Start with a basic recipe, using whole grain flour, adding nuts and raisins or dried cranberries, diced apples, bananas, and more for taste or sweetness.
Pumpkin Bread recipe:
2-3 cups cooked pumpkin
1/4 cup milk or soy milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup (or more) brown sugar or agave nectar
1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup rye flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup raisins (soaked)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
After Halloween night bake the pumpkin in a pyrex dish in the oven until flesh is soft. Let cool, then scoop the flesh out of the skin. Use 2-3 cups for each pumpkin cake or bread; freeze the surplus for later use. At the same time soak raisins overnight in 2 cups of spring water.
In a blender combine milk, eggs, oil, cinnamon, allspice, salt, sugar. Add cooked, diced pumpkin and blend. Pour into a mixing bowl and gradually add the flour and baking powder, sifting a couple of Tbsp at a time through a sieve and mixing it into the batter with a wooden spoon. Add raisins and nuts last, mixing well into a thick batter.
Brush the inside of a baking pan with a little oil and dust with flour. Pour batter into pan and place in preheated oven. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hr. or until a toothpick comes out clean. Place in middle rack of oven.
Same batter may be used to make cookies. But place on top rack in oven and allow only 15-20 min. baking time or until golden brown.
Happy Halloween!