Purely Pumpkin by Allison Day + A giveaway!

I’m not exactly a hard sell when it comes to all things pumpkin, so I was delighted when I heard Allison Day was working on a pumpkin-packed follow-up to her wonderful first cookbook, Whole Bowls. Purely Pumpkin: More Than 100 Seasonal Recipes to Share, Savor, and Warm Your Kitchen came out last week and it’s the most gorgeous ode to one versatile and nutritious fruit. There’s sweet and savoury pumpkin breakfasts, desserts and everything in between — think sharp cheddar, pumpkin, and pecan scones; vegan pumpkin, onion, and spinach lasagna with white bean ricotta; gingerbread pumpkin cheesecake with pecan oat crust; classic pumpkin pie (naturally!); and several better-for-you takes on the beloved pumpkin spice latte. Read on to learn a little more about the book, get Allison’s ah-MAZE-ing recipe for morning glory pumpkin muffins and enter for your chance to win a copy of the book. 

The book opens with a glossary of more than 20 (!) types of heirloom pumpkins, followed by a brief primer on the health benefits of pumpkin flesh (“a true superfood, whether purchased fresh or canned”), pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed oil and pumpkin spice. The photography (also by Allison; how talented is she?!) is moody and mouth-watering and will make you want to try pumpkin all the ways.

I loved the combination of flavours and textures in the savory herbed pumpkin oatmeal with soft-boiled eggs and pumpkin seed pesto. “Instead of pine nuts and basil, a verdant swirl of pesto made with arugala and pumpkin seeds awakens the taste buds with a peppery bite,” Allison writes, “contrasting an herby pillow of oats and a meltingly luxurious soft-boiled egg. It’s a cozy, hearty breakfast that will make you a cold weather convert at first spoonful.”

The sticky toffee pumpkin spice pecan truffles take no time to whizz together and taste as decadent as they sound. And like all of the recipes in the book they’re made with nutritious (and delicious!) whole foods, so you can indulge knowing you’re doing your body good. I keep them in the freezer for a little energy boost here and there in the day.

My kids found the pumpkin spice a little strong (more truffles for me!), so I’ll halve the amount the next time we make them.

The morning glory pumpkin muffins are a favourite in our house, and Allison was kind enough to share the recipe. Enjoy a little taste of Purely Pumpkin and scroll down to enter to win a copy!

Morning Glory Pumpkin Muffins

Detour, a fabulous café near my home in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, has the ultimate morning glory muffin; I can’t stop in there without picking one up, and I usually make sure everyone I bring there tries it, too. My recipe is not a duplicate of this fabulous morning glory muffin, but a pumpkin-filled homage. Moist, tender, not overly sweet, filled with fruit and seeds, and ideal with a cup of strong coffee, they’re the official grab-and-go breakfast or mid-afternoon snack of champions.

Makes 14–16 large muffins

2 cups light spelt flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed

¾ cup pumpkin purée

½ cup evaporated cane sugar or granulated sugar

½ cup neutral-tasting oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 apple, any variety, grated

2/3 cup raw, unsalted green pumpkin seeds

½ cup golden raisins or sultana raisins

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line two standard muffin tins with large muffin papers (you’ll only need 14 to 16 large muffin papers).

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, banana, pumpkin, sugar, oil, and vanilla until mixed. Stir dry mixture into wet mixture until just combined. Fold in apple, seeds, and raisins.

Scoop heaped ¼ cup (about 5 tablespoons) portions into muffin papers. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store airtight in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. (Defrost at room temperature before eating.)

Excerpted from Purely Pumpkin: More Than 100 Seasonal Recipes to Share, Savor, and Warm Your Kitchen by Allison Day. Copyright © 2016. Photography by © Allison Day. Used with permission of Skyhorse Publishing.

GIVEAWAY!

To enter to win a copy of Purely Pumpkin: More Than 100 Seasonal Recipes to Share, Savor, and Warm Your Kitchen, tell me how you like to enjoy pumpkin in the comments below. (This entry is mandatory.)

For an additional entry, follow try small things on Facebook and share this post, then tell me you did so and your name on Facebook in the comments below.

You may also tweet the following once per day and leave the url for your tweet in the comments below (one entry per tweet).

Pumpkin all the ways! Win Purely Pumpkin by Allison Day from @trysmallthings http://wp.me/p4xBed-2UO CAN 9/30 #PurelyPumpkin

The giveaway is open to Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) 18+ and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on September 30, 2016. The potential winner must respond to prize notification within 48 hours, including the correct answer to a skill-testing question, otherwise another winner will be selected.

Update October 1, 2016: Congratulations Dianne G! 

Thomas Allen & Son sent me a copy of Purely Pumpkin in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.