Page 26 - Florida Sentinel 10-21-16 Online Edition

Recipes
That vibrant orange color tells us something about pumpkin’s health properties. Yes, it’s an excellent source of beta carotene, the powerful antioxi- dant. Our bodies translate beta carotene into Vitamin A, which is thought to protect us from certain cancers and other diseases, too. Vitamin A is also key for keeping your eyesight keen.
Pumpkins are also a good source of fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. The seeds, meanwhile, are packed with fiber and protein; they are also an ex- cellent source of zinc, magnesium, manganese, iron, and monounsaturated fat.
In the kitchen, treat pumpkin as you would any winter squash. Try it in healthy soups, stews, chili — even pancakes.
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Easy Pumpkin Dip
Iced Pumpkin Cookies
"Wonderful spicy iced pumpkin cookies that both kids and adults love!"
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon melted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions: Beat cream cheese, brown sugar, and canned pumpkin together with an electric mixer on medium speed in a bowl until light and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add maple syrup and cinnamon and beat until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork. To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 tea-
spoon vanilla. Add low-fat milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.
Cinnamon Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Excellent Halloween treat. All ingredients are approximate and may be adjusted to individual taste. Serve immediately while warm or later after cooling."
tablespoons butter, melted 1 teaspoon ground cinna- mon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds 2 tablespoons white sugar
Directions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
Mix butter, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl.
Place pumpkin seeds in a large bowl and pour butter mix- ture over seeds; toss to evenly coat. Spread coated seeds in a
single layer onto a baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until seeds
are lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven; sprinkle sugar over seeds and stir until evenly coated.
Pumpkin Pancakes
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground all- spice
1 teaspoon ground cin- namon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions: In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking pow- der, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a sep- arate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approx- imately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
Pumpkin Smoothie
1 (16 ounce) can pump- kin puree
2 cups milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cin- namon
Directions: Place the pumpkin puree in a freezer bag; store in freezer for at least 24 hours.
Heat the bag of pumpkin puree in the microwave on HIGH to soften, 1 to 2 min- utes.
Pour the milk into a blender. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin; blend until smooth.
PAGE 14-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2016