life & style // no. 12 theotherpress.ca Four pumpkin recipes to launch fall » Delicious and unusual ways to eat pumpkin Morgan Hannah Life & Style Editor love the flavours of the fall season: cinnamon, sweet brown sugar, and pumpkin. Pumpkin is the star of fall—stores start selling pumpkins as early as the beginning of September. If you plan on cooking with pumpkin, you'll need a pie pumpkin, as they have sweeter, denser flesh than carving pumpkins. Here are four unique pumpkin-based recipes to launch the start of Autumn: Vegan and Paleo Pumpkin Blondies I wish I could take credit for these bad boys, but alas the food network beat me to it. These pumpkin blondies are a thick, delicious treat that trick everyone because they're actually healthier than youd think! Featuring no butter or oil and only 105 calories per piece, these treats truly do pumpkin justice. 4% cup creamy almond butter * 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup % cup pureed pie pumpkin 4 cup coconut sugar, firmly packed 4 Tbsp vanilla extract 4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 4 cup + 2 Tbsp coconut flour, sifted 31g 14 tsp baking soda 4 tsp baking powder 4 tsp salt 4 tsp cinnamon 4 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice * 3 Tbsp almonds, thinly chopped Preheat oven to 325°F and line the bottom of a baking pan with parchment paper, grease sides generously (I like to use coconut oil). Ina large, microwave-safe bowl, melt the almond butter with the maple syrup in microwave until almond butter is creamy—about one minute. Add pumpkin into the mixture and beat with electric hand mixer until smooth. Beat the coconut sugar, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar into the almond butter mixture until well combined. Add the sifted coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice into the mixture and stir until unified. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth out evenly. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top. Let batter sit for five minutes before baking—this allows the flour to absorb moisture. Bake for about 50 to 55 minutes; use a toothpick to test if cooked all the way. Let cool before cutting. Tour de Mundy » Pedal your way into Mundy Park's verdant scenery EG Manilag Staff Writer have to adjust. It took me some time before I found Mundy Park. When I first got a bike here, I was excited to explore the Illustration by Morgan Hannah Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Pumpkin Truffles Truffles are one of my favourite things to make. They're easy, impressive, and interchangeable with your favourite ingredients. And the best part? Thanks to YouTube, you can watch someone else dip ‘em before you do to perfect your skills! * 15 oz pureed pie pumpkin * tcup coconut flour * 3/4 cup pure maple syrup * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract * 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice + 1/2 teaspoon salt * 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon + 1/2 cup pure cane sugar * 1/8 cup coconut oil, melted * 31/2 cups dark chocolate chips + flaked sea salt, for topping Add pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt, cinnamon, sugar, and coconut oil to a bowl and mix until combined. Add in coconut four and mix until smooth, the batter should be thick and not sticky. Use a mini ice cream scoop or a spoon to form truffles. Place truffles on a baking sheet covered with wax paper and freeze them for about 20 minutes. Using a double boiler with low heat, melt the dark chocolate chips. Using a fork, lower the refrigerated batter balls into the melted chocolate, completely covering them. Place coated truffles on a wire rack or baking sheet and immediately top with flaked sea salt. Place back in the freezer until solid. Kiirbissuppe (Pumpkin Soup) German pumpkin soup is one of my grama’s best—it’s so hearty and creamy. Where she found this cultured recipe, I'll never know. But what I do know is that this soup is a delicious way to make something unique with your pie pumpkin during Autumn! * 1 medium pie pumpkin * 1/2 teaspoon sea salt * 1 tablespoon butter * 1 shallot, finely chopped * 1small onion, diced + 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper + 1/4 cup of Sauvignon Blanc * 1 to 2 cups of chicken stock + 1/2 cup of heavy cream + Pumpkin seeds for garnish Preheat oven to 400°F and line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash pumpkin and cut into large, even slices, leaving skin on. Separate and wash the seeds. Set them aside for later. Place pumpkin flesh side up on the baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast pumpkin slices for about 25 to 35 minutes, or until the flesh is soft and beginning to brown (use a fork to test softness). While pumpkin is roasting, heat a large pot on medium-low heat and add in butter. Throw in shallot and onion, a pinch of sea salt, and white pepper. Stir together until onion is translucent. Add in Sauvignon Blanc and let cook for a minute or two, then scrape pumpkin flesh off hardened skin and into pot. Slowly add in chicken stock until liquid reaches about a half inch below top of the pumpkin (adding too much stock will make soup too liquidy). Stir soup well and cover, letting it continue to cook on medium-low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir regularly. Turn off heat and allow soup to stop boiling, then mix in heavy cream. Using a hand mixer on high, puree ingredients until smooth (you can also use a blender on high speed). Turn down oven to 300°F and cover a parchment- paper lined baking sheet with washed, dried pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with oil and bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. When serving soup, garnish with a couple of pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of heavy cream on top. Pumpkin Margarita Another Food Network recipe! Honestly, I don’t think I would’ve ever thought of pumpkin in my alcoholic beverage, but here ya go! * 102 fresh lime juice * 10z lemon tea * 1and 1/2 oz tequila * 2 sachets 100 percent pumpkin purée * 1 splash orange liqueur * ice cubes * 1 pinch cinnamon * Blend all together and enjoy! hen it comes to biking, | am a “cycologist”—pun intended—and I would definitely prescribe biking Mundy Park’s serene trails. Located at 641 Hillcrest Street, this nicely maintained forested area is known to be the largest park in Coquitlam—176 hectares to be exact. Two mystical lakes can be found in this area: Mundy Lake and Lost Lake. Besides the greenery and the lakes, Mundy has tons of recreational amenities including a pool, sports fields, a playground, a sheltered picnic area, and a nine-hole disc golf course. Back in the Philippines, where the weather is mostly a never-ending summer, I would always gear up and bike, but now living here in Canada—where there are four seasons and summertime is short—I great Canadian outdoors...yet I was afraid because I might get lost. So I would just ride around the neighbourhood, circling into cul-de-sacs, until one day I got the courage to break the cycle of fear and went straight up the steep roads of Mariner Way. After some heavy revs and gear grinding, I finally found the glorious park. On my first visit, I didn’t get the chance to deeply explore as I was really intimidated by a sign that said: “Bears live in this area.” Nonetheless, the overall experience was great with the cool springtime atmosphere, the super fresh air, the wide and flat trails, and the radiating sunlight that filtered through the leaves of trees. Taking it all in was very relaxing. According to Coquitlam’s website, Mundy Park has two special obstacle courses (beginner and intermediate) specifically designed for bike skills training. For those whom are interested in learning or honing their bike abilities, Mundy provides growing and learning in addition to fun. Photo by Kyle Pearce on Flickr After my first visit, I never really stopped; I just keep on coming back. There’s a lot more to discover. Mundy Park, ultimately, is an awesome place to be. So, search and ride on!