Pumpkin Season

"As soon as September comes it's like everything turns into a pumpkin!" I overheard one of my exasperated colleagues complain last week. I like to make people feel validated, so I considered complaining along with him. But I just couldn't...the truth is that I LOVE pumpkin. I love pumpkin lattes, pumpkin scones, pumpkin beer, roasted pumpkin, pumpkin soup, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin spice, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin EVERYTHING!

Much to my utter dismay one of the many odd pregnancy aversions I developed last fall was to anything pumpkin scented or flavored. In addition to wanting to puke every time I saw something with pumpkin, I was also intensely sad. I was missing my favorite "flavor season". As a food addict, it was upsetting. I had to actively not allow my mind to wander to the possibility that the aversion could be permanent.

Thankfully, I can report that my love of pumpkin returned post-delivery (phew!) One of my favorite pumpkin recipes that I usually start the season with is for pumpkin cupcakes with salted caramel frosting, but I'm making a desperate effort to clean up my eating habits. I decided to create a healthy challenge called "one can, so many possibilities" for myself. The idea is to start with one can of Trader Joe's Organic Pumpkin and see how many ways recipes I could come up with to use it.

Pumpkin face drawn by my oldest. Although adorable, it was not a kind gesture. She was trying to irritate the middle sister  who picked out the "teeny tiniest pumpkin" she could find at TJ. It worked. Tantrums ensued.

So far, I've made green pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin granola, pumpkin spice coffee syrup, and pumpkin overnight oats all from one can of pumpkin! Each recipe has been delicious and I haven't had to feel guilty about indulging in my favorite fall flavor.

I'll start this series with sharing the recipe for the pumpkin spice coffee syrup because caffeine is pretty much the most necessary part of every day when you work full time and have three kids...

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup (adapted from Gimme Some Oven)

• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup organic pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 TBSP pumpkin spice blend
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Mix together water, pumpkin puree, syrup, and spice blend in a small saucepan.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Once boiling, reduce to low heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
4. Whisk in vanilla extract and remove from the heat.
5. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

*A couple of notes on this recipe: you can use brown sugar in place of the maple syrup if you want. You can double the syrup/sugar if you want a sweeter syrup. The syrup has a "gloopy" consistency because of the pumpkin puree, it dissolves best if vigorously mixed.*

My two favorite ways to use this syrup...

A hot pumpkin "latte" - 2 TBSP syrup mixed with equal parts hot coffee and hot milk

Iced pumpkin coffee - 3 TBSP syrup shaken vigorously over ice with iced coffee and some milk