Favorite Pumpkin Recipes

As a rule, I don’t eat sugar, at the same time, I’m a sucker for anything pumpkin.

AND I am really sappy and sentimental about food and traditions.  There are certain foods that I eat certain times of year and the world is all wrong if I don’t.

I think there is a way to enjoy sweets now and then and not feel guilty about it.

How to enjoy sweets without the guilt:

1. Make it yourself.  Avoid eating the highly processed sweet breads and cookies from stores and bakeries.  This will accomplish 2 things.  1.  You’ll eat sweets less often if you have to go through the trouble to make them.  2.  They will be much healthier (you won’t be using preservatives or artificial ingredients).
2. Weekends only.  We have a long-standing rule in our house that we only bake sweets on the weekends.  If someone wants to make a batch of cookies or a sweet bread on a Tuesday, it’s a no.  You can make it on Friday.
3. Use healthy ingredients.  Using whole-wheat fresh-milled flour, fresh eggs, organic cane sugar, and cultured butter can transform any dessert into a nutritious pleasure.
4. Indulgence not gluttonance.  I’m not sure if that’s a word but you probably understand.  If you are 18 you can eat whatever you want.  If you are my age, you may need to keep the sweet portions in check.  A slice of pumpkin bread is all I need to be happy and feel like fall is here.  I don’t need to eat half the pan.

Here are some of my favorite Pumpkin Treats –