When I come up with a new recipe for weelicious, it usually takes me some to test it, write the post and stage and edit the photos and so on before publishing it here. But, earlier this week I innocently posted a picture of Kenya’s lunch on my facebook and Twitter, and almost immediately I was barraged with emails and messages asking what it was that I made. So, by overwhelming demand, I bring you one of my favorite recipes, pumpkin waffles!

Over the holidays, I buy tons of canned pumpkin puree and inevitably it sits in the cabinet for months until I get around to using all of it. This recipe is for anyone who’s overstocked on pumpkin and wants to get rid of it in the yummiest way possible!

In our house, we’re all about serving these waffles for breakfast, but I decided to take them a step further. I like to make a big batch of waffles, enjoy half of them when I make them, freeze a few for future breakfasts (just pop them in the toaster oven when you need them) and make sandwiches with the remaining. Yes, sandwiches. How excited will your kids be when they open their lunch box to see cream cheese (and maybe some sliced fruit) between two fluffy pumpkin waffles? I guarantee you’ll win mom (or dad) of the year for that one!

Pumpkin Waffles (Makes 12 4 inch Waffles)

2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar
2 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Tsp Ground Ginger
4 Eggs
1 Cup Milk (I used rice milk)
1 Cup Buttermilk (I used low fat)
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
6 Tbsp Butter, melted

1. Preheat waffle iron.
2. Sift first 7 ingredients into a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl whisk the remaining ingredients.
4. Whisk the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture and whisk until smooth.
5. Pour about 1/2 cup of the pumpkin batter into a waffle iron that’s been buttered or greased and cook according to manufacturer’s directions.
6. Serve with maple syrup or make into sandwiches filling with cream cheese and whatever other fillings you desire.

*Allow to cool, place in a ziploc bag, label and freeze. When ready, place in toaster oven or oven at 300 and heat for 10 minutes or until heated through.

We used these to make this recipe:

Proctor Silex 26000 Belgian Waffle Maker, White

Not enough time (or too lazy) to make homemade crust for a pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving? Want a really fast and easy dessert that your family will think you spent hours preparing?

After roasting a turkey and making homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, and more, I’m exhausted! The thought of having to make a dessert that lives up to that meal is too nerve racking and time consuming for me to try doing, but I still need my pumpkin fix for the holiday!

These individual pumpkin cheesecakes are sweet, creamy and delicious and take no time to whip up.

Kenya loved watching them bake and then was totally bummed that he had to wait until they cooled before he got his little mitts on them. I’m pretty sure it was worth the wait though, since he scarfed his up in no time flat!

Individual Pumpkin Cheesecakes (Makes 8 Individual Ramekins)

8 oz Cream Cheese, softened (I softened mine on a plate for 20 seconds in the microwave)
1 15 oz Can Pumpkin Puree
2 Eggs
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Nutmeg
1/2 Cup Agave or Honey
Accompaniments: Crushed Gingersnap Cookies or Graham Crackers, whipped cream or ice cream

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a mixer or in a bowl with beaters, beat the cream cheese until creamy and smooth.
3. Add the pumpkin and mix until smooth and combined.
4. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until combined.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and combine.
6. Pour into 8 ramekins and fill 3/4 full.
7. Bake for 25 minutes.
8. Cool and serve.

Since Kenya started school this fall, I’ve been making a lot more sandwiches for him. He goes to a “nut free” school, so it can be tricky because the number one kid favorite sandwich, PB & J, is a major no-no (although, I have found sunflower seed butter to be a good replacement for peanut or almond butter in terms of flavor and texture). One of the sandwich fillings Kenya loves most is cream cheese and strawberry preserves. Now that strawberries are out of season, though, I wanted to make another type of spread he would crave.

A few weeks ago I went to Trader Joe’s and bought a jar of their pumpkin butter. It’s delicious, but it is SO sweet. You can actually taste the sugar more than the pumpkin. Always up to a challenge, I decided to make my own version of this seasonal treat. For this recipe you could roast a pumpkin and puree it, but canned pumpkin seems to be all over the grocery this time of year, so I decided to save some time and use it instead.

Now I’ve got everyone in my house hooked on this creation. We’ve been eating it on rice crackers and pita, stirring it into yogurt and more. It only takes minutes to make and will last for a few weeks in the fridge — that is unless everyone doesn’t eat it all up first!

Pumpkin Butter (Makes 2 Cups)

2 Cups Pureed Pumpkin or 1 15oz Can Pumpkin Puree
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Nutmeg
1/4 Cup Honey
2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1. Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over low heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
2. Cool and serve.

*Place in appropriate tupperware or ziploc bag and freeze up to 4 months. Defrost in fridge.

No matter how much you try to impose moderation in your home, when it comes to Halloween and kids — it’s all about the sugar. You can hope for the best that your neighbors will be pushing dried fruit over M&M’s, but if you’re a realist you’ll accept the fact that chocolate and candy will be the treats of choice and that this is one day of the year that is very likely out of your control.

When you know your kids are going to be overdosing on the sweet stuff, you also want them to get something healthy and delicious in their little tummies. Making the foods you give them fun and exciting enough to compete with all those sugary sweets will definitely help your cause. These pumpkin milkshakes are really easy to prepare and a great way to get your kids (and you) involved in making something festive for the holiday.

Pumpkin is packed with vitamin A, potassium and beta carotene which is important for eyesight (especially important for little ones when they’re out chasing candy in the dark!).

So, when you want to make a special treat for your little pumpkins this Halloween, think like a pumpkin and try whipping up some of these milkshakes. They won’t cure your kids of their cravings for candy, but they should disappear just as quickly.

Pumpkin Shakes (Serves 2)

1/2 Cup Pumpkin (I used canned)
1 Cup Rice, Almond or Cow’s Milk (I used vanilla rice milk)
Pinch Cinnamon
Pinch Nutmeg
1 Tbsp Agave Nectar

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender.
2. Puree until smooth.
3. Serve.

Even though Kenya has no idea what a Mummy is, he absolutely loved these hot dogs wrapped in whole wheat pizza dough. I put one in his school lunch the other day with sides of ketchup and mustard to dip it in and he was in heaven! These are probably a better Halloween treat for bigger kids who really get what Mummies are, but they taste great and are fun to eat no matter what. So if you are looking for a fun meal to serve at a party this holiday weekend, or just a fun way to liven up your hot dogs, this is a perfect recipe!

Mummy Dogs (Serves 8 )

8 Hot Dogs or Veggie Dogs
1 Package Whole Wheat Pizza Dough or Weelicious Pizza Dough
Mustard and Ketchup

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray.
3. Cut the pizza dough into 8 even strips using a pizza cutter or knife.
4. Stretch each piece of the pizza dough until it’s about 4 times the length of the hot dog.
5. Starting at the top, wrap the pizza dough around the hot dog until it’s completely covered allowing a small space for the face.
6. Place the wrapped hot dogs on the cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
7. When the hot dogs are cool, dot the ketchup and/or mustard with a toothpick for the eyes.
8. Serve.

Halloween is here and that means it’s time to come up with some SPOOKY culinary creations! The funniest part of this recipe is that you’ll have everyone guessing just how you got the “arms” and “legs” through the franks!

I test drove a batch of these Freaky Franks with some of Kenya’s buddies last week in advance of the holiday and the kids loved eating them. And parents can’t seem to get over how creepy they look covered in “blood” (tomato sauce). This is the perfect recipe to make WITH your kids before a long night of trick or treating.

Freaky Franks! (Serves 4-6)

Whole Wheat Spaghetti (I used 1/2 package)
Hot Dogs (I used Veggie Smart Dogs)
Weelicious Tomato Sauce or Any Jarred Sauce

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
2. Cut each hot dog link into 4 even pieces.
3. Line the spaghetti up and break in half into 4 inch pieces.
4. Poke the spaghetti pieces through the pieces of hot dog lengthwise.
5. Place the “Freaky Franks” in boiling water and cook for 10-11 minutes and drain.
6. Serve with tomato sauce.

People often ask me why I make so many vegan recipes. There are actually tons of reasons, one being that I have several vegan friends, so I frequently cook for them.
But the second reason is that so many kids today have allergies to a variety of foods, many specifically to dairy and eggs. Since vegans don’t eat any animal products or foods made by animals such as honey, these dishes are good for some kids with specific allergies.
I made these pancakes for a bunch of friends who aren’t vegan and they didn’t know that they were dairy and egg free until they had cleaned their plates . Light as feathers, but with tons of depth of flavor and added texture from the spelt or buckwheat, these pancakes are a real treat. I actually served them for dessert later that night and the kids had a blast eating them with their hands and dipping them in syrup. See, pancakes really can be enjoyed morning, noon and night!

Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes (Makes 18 Pancakes)

1 Cup White Flour
1/2 Cup Buckwheat or Spelt Flour (I tested both versions and they were equally delicious)
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 1/4 Cup Rice Milk (you could also use soy or almond milk)
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup, plus extra for serving with pancakes
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil, plus extra for greasing the pan
1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree, canned

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine (don’t over mix, some lumps are fine).
4. Heat a griddle or large saute pan over medium heat and lightly
grease with oil.
5. Ladle as many pancakes as possible (about 2 tbsp of batter for each one) on the griddle and cook 2 minutes or until bubbles start forming on the surface and the bottom is golden brown.
6. Flip the pancakes and cook another 2 minutes.
7. Repeat the process until you run out of batter (you can hold the finished pancakes in a 250 degree oven while you finish making the pancakes).
7. Serve with maple syrup and enjoy.

*Allow to cool, place in a ziploc bag, label and freeze. When ready, place in toaster oven or oven at 300 and heat for 10 minutes or until heated through.

We used these to make this recipe:

Chef’s Design 20-Inch Double Burner Reversible Grill/Griddle

The inspiration for this recipe came from some gorgeous, uber-ripe Bartlett pears I found last week at the farmer’s market. At first thought I would make Kenya some pear puree or just slice them for a snack, but then I remembered I had some canned organic pumpkin at home and wondered if that combination would work.

I’ve never seen pumpkin-pear bread, but it sounded like something yummy to eat in the autumn. The pears were so ripe, all I did was peel and mash them before adding to the recipe.

QUICK TIP: if you don’t have ripe pears you could place them next to bananas in a fruit bowl and they will ripen faster.

I’m usually not a fan of any type of canned fruit or veggie, but canned pumpkin really is a life saver. It’s really a pain to make pumpkin puree, even when you roast it, the flavors never quite become as rich and sweet as the canned variety. So, this is one of those times that I give into convenience.
When Kenya woke up from his nap, the smell of fresh bread was all through the house. After it cooled we sat and tried it with all kinds of yummy spreads like pumpkin butter, apple butter, honey and just plain butter.

Mmmm… fall really is here!

Pumpkin-Pear Bread (makes 1 9×5 inch loaf or 6 small loaves)

1/4 Cup Agave Nectar or Honey
1/4 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree, preferably organic
1 Ripe Pear, peeled and mashed (it’s ok if there are small chunks) or a little over 1/2 cup pear puree
2 Large Eggs
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Ginger
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream the butter and agave with a standing or handheld mixer.
3. Add the pumpkin and pear purees.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
5. In a separate bowl sift the flour and remaining ingredients.
6. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture a little at a time until combined. Do not overly mix or beat the mixture.
7. Place in a 6 individual greased loaf pans or in one 9×5 inch greased loaf pan.
8. Bake for 20 minutes for small loaf pans or 1 hour for single loaf.
9. Cool for 10 minutes and then run a knife around the loaf pan to help release on to a cooling rack.
10. Cool and serve.

*A regular weelicious Mommy made muffins instead of the bread which cooked for 15-20 minutes and replaced maple syrup for the agave. She said they were delicious!

Everyday I try to visit different message boards on the web to see what moms are talking about. Lately, I can’t get over the one common obsession that moms are asking about everywhere: How to cook a pumpkin! For a country obsessed with Halloween and pumpkins, it’s kind of ironic that we rarely cook with them, unless its using pumpkin out of a can on Thanksgiving.
Now, I admit it’s something of a mantra at weelicious that I don’t like using canned foods in general, but canned pumpkin is an exception to the rule. I once read Martha Stewart say that you shouldn’t waste your time cooking fresh pumpkin when making pumpkin desserts (because it’s very hard to get the exact flavor you want) and I believe she’s correct, but roast pumpkin on its own with a touch of cinnamon and maple syrup is heavenly.
When I was living in Australia years ago, I ate pumpkin every few days. Pumpkin is as common to cook there as sweet potatoes are in the States. The pumpkin down under was so sweet and creamy, I wanted to try and replicate the flavors that I remembered. There are several types of pumpkins this time of year at my farmer’s market, so it’s kind of hard to tell which one to buy, but I’ve found you can’t really go wrong no matter what you choose. I bought several varieties last weekend such as “autumn gold” and “sugar”, which are both high in vitamin A. The cooking time will vary a bit depending on the size of the pumpkin you buy, but whatever you get, with this recipe it will be tender and delicious.

Roast Pumpkin & Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 Pumpkin
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1/8 Tsp Cinnamon
Vegetable Oil Spray
Sea Salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Carefully cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin using a knife, about 2 in x 2 in. Remove the “top”.
3. Using you hands or a spoon, remove the seeds and rinse with water in a colander. Remove any of the stringy pulp pieces that stick to the seeds.
4. Lay the seeds on a towel to let dry.
5. Pour the maple syrup into the pumpkin and swirl it around coating flesh.
6. Sprinkle cinnamon inside.
7. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 40 minutes.
8. Place the top on the pumpkin and continue to cook for additional 20
minutes or until tender (the cooking time will vary depending on the
size of the pumpkin. Take a fork and pierces the inside to the flesh every 10 minutes towards the end of the cooking
time to see if it’s tender). Uncover the pumpkin and cool.
9. Spray another cookie sheet with a think coating of vegetable oil and evenly place the pumpkin seeds on the sheet. Lightly sprinkle pumpkin seeds with salt.
10. Bake the seeds 20-30 minutes or until the start to turn a golden color.
11. Cool and serve.
*If you’re making baby food puree, you can leave out the maple syrup

Some moms make their kids sugar cookies, some make them pound cakes. My mom made cheese wafers. I’m not talking about a tins worth, I’m literally talking pounds and pounds!). You would have thought she was starting her own cheese 
wafer business with the amount of cracker barrel cheese kept in our 
refrigerator. I remember standing by her salivating as she made them. 
Really they’re THAT good. She placed a perfect pecan on top of each one and added 
a touch of paprika for a little zip.
For my cheese wafers, I removed the zip and decided to roll and cut them into 
fun shapes for Halloween and Thanksgiving. I don’t know if any kid 
will accept cheese wafers instead of candy, but I know that if you 
offer these over those pre-packaged, oily goldfish snacks, they’ll not only beg for more but they’ll also avoid ingesting all those nasty preservatives, artificial flavors and dyes, too.


Kenya kept popping these in his mouth and crunching away so fast, I 
had to hide them from him. Now the only trouble is that I know where they are and I may eat the entire tin!

Cheese Wafers (Makes 3-4 dozen depending on the size of your cookie cutters)

1/2 Lb Sharp Cheddar Cheese (about 2 Cups), grated
5 Tbsp Butter, cut into cubes
1 Cup All Purpose Flour, plus additional for sprinkling

1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and combine (dough may be a bit crumbly, but it will stick together).
2. Remove all the dough to a piece of parchment or waxed paper and shape into a thick flat circle. Cover with waxed paper and refrigerate for one hour or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4. Open waxed paper and roll out dough on it into a 1/4 inch-thick piece.
5. Take small cookie cutters and cut out into shapes (you could also take an empty plastic medicine bottle to make circle shaped crackers. Just make sure you clean out the bottle thoroughly first.).
6. Place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with a silpat or parchment paper) and bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool on sheet for 2 minutes before removing.
7. Serve.

*Gluten Free- Substitute 1 Cup Flour with 1 Cup Rice Flour and it works great!

We used these to make this recipe:

Silpat 11-5/8-by-16-1/2-Inch Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat