It's the Great Pumpkin!

I don't know about you, but one of the many things I love about this time of year is the abundance of pumpkin recipes. True, you can go to almost any grocery store and buy canned pumpkin year 'round. But autumn just says pumpkin. Pumpkin patches selling all sized pumpkins for jack-'o-lanterns, pumpkin pies for fall holidays...That said, here are six diabetic pumpkin recipes to help get you in the fall-mood, including Pumpkin Risotto and October Bisque. Enjoy!

Pumpkins in front of Earth Fare in Seminole, Florida



PUMPKIN SOUP

Yield: 5 servings (1 cup each)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/409.shtml

Ingredients

2 teaspoons margarine

3/4 cup chopped onion

One 16-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

2 cups Homemade Chicken Broth OR canned reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves or ground nutmeg

1 cup fat-free milk

Directions

Melt the margarine in a medium saucepan. Saute the onion until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the pumpkin, broth, sugar, salt, and cloves; stir to mix well. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree until smooth in a blender or food processor. Return to the saucepan. Add the milk; heat thoroughly but do not boil. Serve at once.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 89; Protein: 4 g; Sodium: 318 mg; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch

OCTOBER BISQUE

Prep Time: 20 Minutes - Cost: $

Servings: 8 - Difficulty Level: 2

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/173.shtml

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped

4 tbsp butter

4 cups chicken broth

1 (28oz) can whole tomatoes, undrained

1 tbsp sugar

2 (16oz) cans pumpkin, or 4 cups pureed pumpkin

2 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley

2 tbsp chopped, fresh chives

Directions

Sauté onion in butter until tender. Add broth and simmer 15 minutes.

Process tomatoes in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add tomato and remaining ingredients to broth. Heat to serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 154; Protein: 4 g; Fat: 7.5 g; Sodium: 764 mg; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Carbohydrates: 19 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch/Bread; 1-1/2 Vegetable; 1-1/4 Fat



PUMPKIN BARS

Servings: 36 Bars

Source: Sweet Inspirations - A Sugar Free Dessert Cookbook

Author: Patti Lynch

Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/163.shtml

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup fruit sweetener

1/2 cup mashed banana (1 medium banana)

1 egg

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

2 tsp vanilla

1-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp each: ginger, allspice, baking soda

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Topping:

3 Tbsp orange juice concentrate

3 Tbsp fruit sweetener

2 tsp orange rind, freshly grated

1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Combine margarine, fruit sweetener, and mashed banana. Beat in egg, pumpkin & vanilla.

Combine dry ingredients and stir into pumpkin mixture. Add raisins and nuts. Spread into a 9 x 13-inch pan which has been sprayed with a non-stick coating.

Bake 20-25 minutes at 325 degrees, or until firm in the center.

Combine juice concentrate, 3 Tbsp fruit sweetener, orange rind and 1 tsp vanilla. Spread glaze over warm bars.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 78; Sodium: 54 mg; Cholesterol: 8 mg; Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Exchanges: 2/3 Bread, 1 Fat

CINNAMON PUMPKIN TORTE

Contributed by Marilyn Helton of Cinnamon Hearts

24 Servings

Source: Magic Herbs

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/152.shtml

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

1 (18.25 oz) pkg low-fat yellow cake mix

1/4 cup low-fat margarine, melted

1 egg, slightly beaten (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)

1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie mix (with spices already added)

2 eggs, beaten (or 1/2 cup egg substitute)

2/3 cup canned evaporated skim milk

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 9 x 13-inch cake pan with cooking spray.

Set aside 1 cup of yellow cake mix for topping.

Mix margarine and one egg and add to remaining cake mix. Press slightly dry mixture into bottom of pan to form a crust.

Combine pumpkin pie mix, two eggs, and evaporated skim milk. Pour over prepared bottom crust.

Mix the reserved cake mix, sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over pumpkin filling.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 163; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 256 mg; Cholesterol: 27 mg; Carbohydrates: 31 g; Exchanges: 1-1/2 Bread/Starch; 1 Vegetable



PUMPKIN RISOTTO

Yield: 2 pounds; Serves: 10

Serving Size: 3 ounces

Source: The Professional Chef's Techniques of Healthy Cooking

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/96.shtml

Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/612.shtml

Ingredients

1 pint Chicken or Vegetable Stock

10-1/2 ounces diced cheese pumpkin or other turban squash

2 ounces onion, diced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

5 ounces arborio rice

2 fluid ounces dry white wine

1-1/4 ounces Romano cheese, grated

Directions

Heat the stock in a medium saucepan.

In a separate saucepan, sweat the pumpkin, onions, and garlic in a small amount of the stock until the onions are translucent. Add the rice and cook briefly.

Stirring constantly over medium to low heat, add the remaining hot stock in 3 additions, making sure the rice absorbs each addition of stock before adding the next. When properly cooked, the risotto should have a creamy texture and be firm to the bite. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the Romano.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 3 g; Sodium: 130 mg; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Fat: 1.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Bread/Starch, 1 Vegetable

PUMPKIN POLKA DOT COOKIES

Yield: Makes about 4 dozen. Serving size: 1 cookie

Source: Equal

Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/879.shtml

This begins, “Chocolate chips enhance the flavor of the pumpkin and spices in these easy to make drop cookies. The hearty blend is perfectfor the end of the year holidays.”

Ingredients

1/2 cup stick butter, softened

1-1/4 cups Equal Spoonful*

3 tablespoons light molasses

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 egg

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

* May substitute 30 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Beat butter, Equal and molasses until well combined. Mix in pumpkin, egg and vanilla until blended. Gradually stir in combined flour, baking powder, spices, baking soda and salt until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto sprayed baking sheets. Bake in preheated 350F oven 11 to 13 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on wire rack. Store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 57; Protein: 1 g; Sodium: 51 mg; Cholesterol: 9 mg; Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat