Pumpkin Magic & Recipes

I was in the mood to make a warm/sweet treat, but I didn't want to wait a long time while something baked in the oven, so I started searching online for an easy pumpkin custard. I figured I could use some of the leftover roasted pumpkin from my Autumn Cooking - Mabon Feast Though I also have a few cans of pumpkin in the basement that I could use as well... though using roasted pumpkin that I spent a lot of time and energy cutting and peeling and cooking felt more meaningful.

Anyway, I was not finding anything that quite peaked my fancy, so I decided to just throw a few things together and hope for a delicious result.
This is similar to how I approach magic and spell-working.
I like to use whatever I have on hand, and most of the magic is in the intent, well I had roasted pumpkin, spices, almond milk, and sweeteners on hand, so I decided to throw them together in the belnder and taste the final result.
After I tasted my concoction I thought it would taste better warm, so I put it in the microwave for a minute or two and gave it a good stir. And WOW! This was some kind of Kitchen Pumpkin Magic.

I had to stop myself from eating it all so I could take a quick picture. I also had an idea to make a warm drink using some of the delicious pudding.
So I scooped some of the pudding into a mug and added some almond milk. Warmed it in the microwave and gave it a few good stirs... Wow again. Pumpkin must be my magical food this season. lol

Anyway, I am going to share the rough recipe with you (I do not have percise measurements because I just tossed things together and added whatever amount felt right to me.... sounds a lot like how I make spells as well) ;)

Pumpkin Pie Pudding:
Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free

• 1-2 cups roast pumpkin cubes (or about 1 cup pumpkin puree)
• Ground Cinnamon to taste
• Ground Nutmeg to taste
• Ground Ginger to taste
• Dash Vanilla Extract
• 1 Packet Stevia
• About 1 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
• Up to 1/2 Cup Almond Milk (I used unsweetened)

Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Add more milk if it is too thick.
Pour into a bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes. Make sure to stir it well before enjoying.

Warm Pumpkin Spiced Milk

• 1-2 Spoonfuls of the above Pumpkin Pie Pudding
• Up to 1 Cup Almond Milk (I used unsweetened, but if you like a sweeter result you can use sweetened)

Mix the ingredients in a mug and microwave for 1 minute. Take it out and stir it before microwaving for an additional minute.
Enjoy!
You can top it with whipped cream if you so desire.

I think this would taste really good mixed with a Pumpkin Chai Tea or Pumpkin Spice Coffee!

Anyway, Since I have made/consumed these delicious pumpkin concoctions I have felt much better. I was feeling a bit down and chilly (it's been raining on and off all day today, and I'm feeling the chill in my bones) and my pinched nerve in my shoulder has been acting up again, but now I feel much better!

I thought I'd write this blog and Share some of the magical properties of the wonderful ingredients I used:

Pumpkin: Fertility, Contacting the Spirit World, Represent Abundance, Wealth, Divination, Love, Prosperity, Good Luck, Attract Money, Mysterious, Healing, Honors the Moon.

Pumpkin Seeds (I didn't use them, but I did eat a few homemade seeds while cooking): Improves Bladder Function, Helps Depression, Promotes Bone Health, Divination, Healing.

Cinnamon: Promotes Dreaming, Love, Protection, Business Success, Purification, Spiritual Growth, Overall Healing, Increasing Psychic Powers, Gain Knowledge.

Nutmeg: Prosperity, Love, Clarity of Mind, Divination, Luck, Protection, Healing, Uplifting, Psychic Awareness.

Ginger: Protection, Healing, Prosperity, Love, Luck, Money, Power, Sexuality, Courage, Success.

Vanilla: Love, Sexuality, Pleasure, Emotional Growth, Good Fortune, Energy.

Almond Milk: Success, Wisdom, Prosperity, Healing, Money, Stimulates Intuition,

Maple Syrup: Love, Luck, Prosperity, Money, Long Life, Abundance,

Stevia: Magical Properties are Unknown...

I have included a spell I found online and thought was interesting. (from This Website)
Sarah’s Pumpkin Seed Prosperity Spell

You will need:
A tall Glass of Water
A Bag of Salted Dried Pumpkin Seeds

My friend Sarah, herself a Wiccan High Priestess, learned this spell as a child from her grandmother who is a powerful kitchen witch in the New England tradition.  I have learned from various sources that this particular spell was in common use as early as the 1920’s and quite possibly before.  This ritual confers a double blessing since it acts as a spiritual cleansing in addition to attracting wealth and prosperity to the individual that performs it.

Sit in a place where you can meditate quickly for a few minutes.  Open your bag of pumpkin seeds and count out 9 seeds.  Eat the first seed.  You may choose to break the seed open with your teeth and eat the soft inner seed, personally I like to eat the salty hard shell as well.  Slowly chew the first seed and wash it down with a drink of cool water.  Repeat the process until you consume all nine seeds. After you swallow the last seed say to yourself aloud or silently may the seeds of this holy gourd cleanse me of all negativity and fill my life with wealth and blessings.  You will be surprised at how effective something so simple can be!  I have heard of people winning jackpots at casinos and encounter long lost friends after performing this easy ritual.

Autumn Cooking - Late Mabon Feast

I am back from my honeymoon in Maine. My wife and I had a wonderful time, and enjoyed our stay in one of my favorite places on earth... but now we are back and getting back into reality.
Anyway, Mabon came and went while we were on our honeymoon, and I didn't really do much to celebrate the day, so I vowed to celebrate when I came home and that is what I did today.

While we were on our honeymoon, my wife and I went Apple Picking, and we brought home a bag of apples to enjoy... I have been eating several apples a day... (They are sooooo goood!!!!)
Anyway, I woke up this morning with the urge to bake something with some of the apples, so I decided to surprise my wife with freshly baked Apple Crisp for breakfast!

Apple Crisp (Gluten Free, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free)

Filling:

• 6 Medium Apples (cored and sliced) (I used McIntosh because those are my favorite)
• 2 Tsp Lemon Juice
• 2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 5 Tsp Pure Maple Syrup

1. Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees F.
2. Spray a Square Baking dish with Non-stick Cooking Spray.
3. Toss apples with lemon juice and place into baking dish.
4. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and maple syrup over the apples and stir to coat well.

 Topping:

• 1/2 Cup Gluten Free Oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/2 Cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
• 2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 5 Tsp Pure Maple Syrup
• 1 Packet Stevia
• 1 Tbsp Vegan Butter Spread (I used Smart Balance. You can use semi solid Coconut Oil i f you prefer)

1. In a medium bowl mix the flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and stevia.
2. Drizzle in the maple syrup and stir well to combine.
3. Cut in the butter spread one tsp at a time until it becomes a crumbly topping.
4. Sprinkle topping over the apples and bake for 30-40 minutes.
5. Serve warm.

YUM! It was delicious.

While the apple crisp was baking I prepared a whole chicken and put it in the crock pot to roast. I added cracked pepper, pink salt, and garlic, and set the crock pot for 7 hours. MMM, by this tine the house was smelling like Fall with the Cinnamon Apples and the Garlic Chicken... YUM YUM YUM.

Later in the day I went grocery shopping and picked up a Sugar Pumpkin, and with the help of my wife we chopped it up and peeled the skin, and I popped the cubed pumpkin in the oven with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

While the pumpkin was roasting I sorted through the guts and put the seeds aside to roast (My wife has been begging me to make pumpkin seeds lately, so I was going to surprise her with them when she got home from work.)

When the pumpkin was done we enjoyed a delicious dinner of Roast Chicken and Pumpkin, as well as Green Beans (I was going to roast Brussels Sprouts, but I didn't have enough time). And Apple Crisp for dessert.











I placed the chicken carcass back into the crock pot with the leftover meat and juices, and I added 5 cups of water, celery, carrots, bay leaf, and some herbs, and I am cooking that on low overnight to make chicken stock (later to become chicken/vegetable soup).


While my wife was at work I tossed the pumpkin seeds with some cooking spray and some salt, and I roasted them at 400 Degrees until they were brown and crispy. YUM!

Then, while I was trying to figure out what to bring for my work lunch tomorrow, I decided to make Pumpkin Soup with some of the leftover roasted pumpkin. I tossed 2 cups of pumpkin into the blender with some of the chicken stock and some unsweetened almond milk, and I also added minced garlic, cracked pepper, pink salt, onion powder, celery salt, and celery flakes. I blended it until smooth and creamy and now I have a delicious soup to enjoy at work tomorrow along with some crispy pumpkin seeds and a fresh apple.

What a glorious day. I hope you all had a wonderful Mabon, and I hope my cooking has given you all some ideas for delicious Fall meals.
Blessed Be!

My little helper 'Sage' loves being in the kitchen with me when I cook. No matter where he is in the house, once I start cooking he comes and lays on the floor behind me. He likes to follow me around the house when I clean too. :)