Halloween is just around the corner and this festive squash is an October favourite for carving jack-o-lanterns and is an ingredient in some of fall’s most delicious recipes! Pumpkins – they’re bountiful at community grocery stores in October and there is no denying it, they are mystical by nature. On Halloween, lit by candlelight, their goulish grins cast dancing shadows in the night, while some varieties have the potential to grow to an immense size – weighing up to 1/2 tonne! You probably don’t know these curious facts about pumpkins, and growing the largest pumpkin on your block is not as hard as you might think!
Today is the second segment in our festive recipe series, featuring two delicious pumpkin recipes for Pumpkin Pie and Overnight Pumpkin Oats. Corin Mullins co-owns Holy Crap, in Gibsons, British Columbia. She has the perfect pumpkin breakfast idea to keep you energized until lunch time. Her recipe comes with a big perk! Holy Crap Overnight Pumpkin Oats can prepared in a jiffy the night before leaving you with nothing to do but enjoy them when you wake up! Pumpkin is not the only star in today’s recipe features, Sharon and Gilbert co-own Honey Bunny in Guy, Alberta. They say there is nothing sweeter than their honey, and its the perfect ingredient for home-made pumpkin pie. They share how to make pumpkin puree from scratch and walk us through making the perfect fall dessert.
HONEY BUNNY PUMPKIN PIE
“THERE IS NOTHING SWEETER THAN OUR HONEY” – SHARON WOLFE
Recipe by Sharon & Gilbert Wolfe, owners of Honey Bunny in Guy, Alberta
Honey Bunny is a self- sufficient, vertically integrated company that is located in the North Peace Country hamlet of Guy, Alberta. Gilbert and Sharon Wolfe launched the Honey Bunny product line in 2006. They wanted to introduce shoppers to a healthier line of products sweetened with their honey and not refined sugars. Honey Bunny is a family owned company under the name of Wolfe Honey Company Inc. which has been in operation for over 25 years and is now the largest Organic Apiary in Canada. Their honey is regarded world-wide for both its purity and its clarity.
“At the age of 16, I asked my father for 50 beehives. Wolfe Honey Company now has over 7,000 hives we are strong and growing!” – Gilbert Wolfe
We asked Sharon and Gilbert for their favourite recipe for fall. It is one of ours too!
HONEY BUNNY PUMPKIN PIE
Ingredients
- 2 of your favourite pie shells
- 3 cups (750 ml) pumpkin purée, from a real pumpkin (see below)
- 1 cup (250 ml) Honey Bunny Inc. Liquid Honey
- 2 tsp (10 ml) ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp (5 ml) ground clove
- 1 tsp (5 ml) ground allspice
- 1 tsp (5 ml) ground ginger
- 1 tsp (5 ml) nutmeg
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt, optional
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream or 500 ml cups evaporated milk
Puree a Whole Pumpkin:
- Wash the pumpkin and slice in half vertically. Scoop out the seeds and the pulp. Poke holes into the shell with a fork.
- Place pumpkin on a baking sheet cut sides up. Lightly brush with oil. Bake at 325F until tender (depending on the size of the pumpkin this will be 30 to 60 minutes). Allow the pumpkin to cool.
- Scoop out pumpkin and puree with hand blender or food processor.
Prepare your Pumpkin Pie Shells:
- To brown the pie shells before adding your pumpkin pie filling, place dried beans into the empty pie shells and bake in oven at 350*F for 15 minutes.
- Remove beans and bake empty pie shells an additional 10 minutes.
Make your Pumpkin Pie:
- To the puréed pumpkin add remainder of ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whip for 3 minutes.
- Pour into the prepared baked pie crust and bake at 350F for 45 to 60 minutes until knife or toothpick comes out clean.
- Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Refrigerate to store.
More about Honey Bunny:
Visit: honeybunny.ca
HOLY CRAP PUMPKIN OVERNIGHT OATS
Recipe by Corin Mullins, Co-Founder of Holy Crap
Brian and Corin Mullins launched their breakfast cereal business in 2009 at the Sechelt Farmer’s Market in British Columbia, calling it Hapi Foods. When one of their very first customers said, “Holy Crap… this is amazing!” Brian changed the name to Holy Crap. Sales exploded.
“We wanted to create a great tasting cereal that was safe for people with food allergies. After a year of testing and perfecting 21 recipes we found a winner. It’s the humorous name that draws people in – and it is the amazing health benefits that keep them eating the cereal,” says Corin, “Like us, people are searching for locally produced food that’s pure and unprocessed. It’s better for our health and the planet.”
If you are looking for a breakfast that is going to keep you satisfied and power you up the day ahead this recipe is chalk full of nutrients and it tastes delicious. Not to mention with a little evening preparation, you can grab it right out of the refrigerator in the morning.
HOLY CRAP PUMPKIN OVERNIGHT OATS
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) old-fashioned, uncooked pure gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut milk
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) pumpkin puree or substitute 2 T. of leftover pumpkin pie (including the crust if it’s gluten-free)
- 1 T. (15 g) honey or dark maple syrup (optional)
- 1 T. (15 g) Holy Crap cereal
- 1 T. (15 g) chopped pecans (optional for garnish)
Directions
- Stir all of the ingredients together.
- Store the mix overnight in a covered container in the fridge.
- In the morning stir it (yes, it’s divine but don’t eat it yet) and divide into 2 dishes (to share with someone
- special).
- Garnish with chopped pecans.
- Makes two 5 ounce (140 g) servings. Enjoy!
More about Holy Crap:
Visit: holycrap.ca
