Tag Archives: pumpkin recipe

Beef Pumpkin Tostada with Chipotle Crema Recipe {#LivingWell}

Posted on by
13

LogoMobileI recently got back from a fun experience in Chicago with the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner people. A group of us food bloggers with an affinity for healthy living (and eating meat) were invited to learn more about the role lean beef plays in #LivingWell.  Those of you who read my blog on a regular basis know that I am not shy when it comes to singing the praises of beef.  I often work with beef in cooking demonstrations and it’s a mainstay on many of the menus I prepare for my husband and three teen boys. Plus, I’m on the Texas Beef Team and fueled by the 29 cuts of this lean protein source. It’s high in protein and a super-efficient source of nutrients like iron, zinc, selenium and B vitamins that are important for athletic performance and recovery.

Enjoying the company of fit-minded foodies and a delicious beef dinner.

Enjoying the company of fit-minded foodies and a delicious beef dinner.

I have more to say about this awesome #LivingWell event next week when my team puts the finishing touches on writing out our fabulously creative beef recipe we came up with during an Iron Chef-like competition. But, the whole experience reminded me just how easy it is to make a quick, healthy and creative meal with any leftover beef that may be sitting in the fridge. For dinner tonight, I whipped up these seasonally scrumptious Beef Pumpkin Tostadas with Chipotle Crema.  For the beef, I used the remnants of lean, center-cut brisket from a meal earlier in the week – but other beef leftovers could easily be substituted – try shredded roast, ground beef or thinly sliced top sirloin steak.

Jennifer Fisher - thefitfork.com -Beef Pumpkin Tostadas

Beef Pumpkin Tostadas with Chipotle Crema Recipe

  • 8 whole grain tortillas
  •  1/2 cup pumpkin puree from can (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup black beans
  • 1/3 cup salsa
  • 4 oz pepper jack, shredded
  • 3/4 lb. leftover beef of choice
  • 1/3 cup light sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (chipotle flavor, if available)
  • 2 Tbsp. roasted, salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • Garnish: spring mix

Create hard tostada shells out of the tortillas by microwaving them in groups of three for one minute at a time, flipping after each minute and repeating until crunchy.

In blender or food processor, blend together pumpkin, black beans and salsa. Spread equal portion of pumpkin mixture on tortilla. Set on rimmed baking sheet.

Sprinkle with approximately ½ ounce of cheese and top with approximately 1.5 ounces of beef.

Broil on high until cheese is bubbling. Remove from oven and set aside.

Mix together sour cream with chipotle powder and Tabasco.

Sprinkle with spring mix lettuce and roasted pepitas. Drizzle with chipotle crema.  Serve warm

Makes 8 tostadas, about 4 servings.

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - beef pumpkin tostadas

 

More to come on the Chicago trip, but I did take my signature “run the city” one-hour speed tour — here I am at the famous big silver bean!

2013_10 jennifer thefitfork chicago bean

And, other good news for the week — got hooked up with some new Karhu shoes and found my lucky lady bug earrings.

2013_10 karhu jennifer

 

 

Good Gourd, You’ll Love This Baked Pumpkin Protein Donut Recipe!

Posted on by
19

Another protein donut recipe just in time for Thanksgiving morning! Oven-baked, scaled down in size and packed with nutritious, anti-oxidant filled pumpkin puree, there’s not much more you could want in a breakfast treat or late-night snack. Oh, except for protein, fabulous PROTEIN! I’ve snuck in a wallop of whey powder to give these goodies some sticking power. Really, you can use any flavor of protein powder you like from vanilla to cake batter (really!).  This time I used an unflavored brand of whey protein from BiPro so that the natural flavors of the pumpkin spices would shine through. You can make these protein doughnuts ahead and keep in the freezer until you’re ready to munch; just defrost and warm slightly in the microwave before dusting with the cinnamon sugar.

Baked Pumpkin Protein Mini Donuts Recipe

  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 egg
  • ¾ cup egg whites
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup white all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
  • ¾ cup whey protein powder (unflavored or vanilla)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • Topping: additional sugar and cinnamon

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

In large bowl, use a spatula to mix together pumpkin, eggs, oil, and sugar.

In another bowl, mix together remaining dry ingredients including flours, protein powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

Mix combined dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture, and stir, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until well-mixed.

Line a large 32 or 44 ounce cup with a 1-gallon zip-top bag, folding excess length down over sides of cup. Spoon in batter and secure top; snip a 1/2 inch triangle out of bottom corner to serve as your “pastry bag.”

Squeeze batter from bag into mini-donut tin, filling about halfway full.  If you don’t have a donut pan, use a muffin tin instead (donuts will like muffins though, obviously).  Give tins a spritz of baking spray in they don’t have a non-stick coating.

Bake in 350 F degree oven for approximately 12 – 15 minutes or until turning golden and springy to touch.  Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 2 – 3 minutes.

Flip out of pan and gently toss in zip-top bag or bowl filled with ¾ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

Makes 36 mini-donuts.

Nutrition Information (per 1 mini doughnut)

 

 

‘Fall’ in Love With Black Bean-Pumpkin Soup

Posted on by
6

Even though it’s really not that cold yet in my part of the world, I’m ready to slurp me some soup. I love making a hearty soup for dinner; it is soul satisfying and the leftovers are always better the second day!  I came up with this Black Bean-Pumpkin Soup recipe last autumn when they finally put the canned pumpkin back on the store shelves. I’m like Bubba Gump for this ginormous squash – pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin lasagna, pumpkin enchiladas and more. You could bake and smash your own pumpkin, but who has that kind of time? Try this healthy, vegetarian recipe tonight. It’s packed with protein from the beans and loaded with vital vitamins from the pumpkin. The dollop of light sour cream adds a satisfying touch and eliminates the need for any kind of fattening topping.

 

Black Bean-Pumpkin Soup Recipe

  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon, optional
  • 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup roasted salted pumpkin seeds

Place beans and tomatoes in a food processor; cover and process until blended. Set aside.

In a Dutch oven, saute onions in oil until tender. Add garlic and cumin; saute 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, pumpkin, vinegar, pepper and bean mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir in bourbon if desired. Garnish each serving with sour cream, green onions and pumpkin seeds. Yield: 8 servings (2 quarts).

Nutritional Facts: 1 cup equals 238 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 5 mg cholesterol, 716 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber, 13 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1-1/2 fat, 1 lean meat, 1 vegetable.