Pumpkin, Date, Ginger & Cacao Power Balls
Makes 16-20
Ingredients
200g pumpkin purée (see method) from a Tractor pumpkin 200g Medjool dates, pitted
60g pumpkin seeds
60g flax seeds
60g chia seeds
60g toasted coconut flakes or toasted desiccated coconut 30g cacao powder
30g crystallised ginger chopped (optional)
1 tsp ground ginger
Additional 30g toasted desiccated coconut & chia seeds to coat the power balls
Method
For the pumpkin purée
Ahead of making the power balls, quarter a Tractor pumpkin and roast it in the oven at 180°C (fan oven) until soft, for approximately 35-40 minutes.
Once the flesh is cooked and cooled, cut off the skin and discard and then mash the flesh until soft.
Weigh out 200g of purée for this recipe. Any remainder can be added into soup, used in pumpkin pie, muffins, granola or any other recipe that calls for pumpkin purée. It also freezes well so you can keep it for another time.
For the power balls
Put all the remaining ingredients (save the additional toasted desiccated coconut and chia seeds) into a food processor and whizz until everything is combined and has a consistency that you can mould into a ball. Don’t overdo it as you want this to have a nice seedy texture.
Take a small bowl and add the extra toasted desiccated coconut and chia seeds into it. Take a dessert spoon of your mix and make them into balls, rolling them into the coconut-chia mix to coat. Once made, store in the fridge to harden, or freeze. They will keep for up to a week in the fridge. Wonderful to share with friends and family.
Top tip
Roast your pumpkin the day or night before. You can also omit any seed ingredient in favour of nuts, such as ground or lightly chopped almonds for an alternative version. Just keep your 60g weight the same.
Pumpkin & Date Granola
Serves 4
Ingredients
250g pumpkin purée (see method) from a Tractor pumpkin 10 Medjool dates (approx. 250g), cut in half and stones removed 2 tsp mixed spice or Spice Pots ‘Sweet Spice’ mix
2 tsp ground ginger
3 tbsp coconut sugar or maple syrup
300g jumbo oats (finer oats would do but jumbo is best) 50g dried sultanas
50g dried cranberries
50g sunflower seeds; 50g pumpkin seeds; 50g blanched whole almonds, halved; 50g chia seeds; 50g linseed/flax seeds (Note: you can mix and match seeds/nuts, but you need 250g)
Method
For the pumpkin purée
Cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds and keep for roasting. Quarter the pumpkin, drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven at 180°C for about 30 minutes until soft. Let the pumpkin cool and scoop away the flesh from the skin. You can add the skin to other recipes or discard. Blend the pumpkin flesh in a food processer or equivalent and set aside.
This recipe requires 250g of pumpkin purée. If you have more weight you can double the other ingredients and make more granola or use the remaining purée for something else.
Pumpkin seeds
Take the pumpkin seeds, separate them from the stringy part and dry them with a paper towel. Scatter on a tray, spray with olive oil and roast them in the oven. Make sure they don’t burn.
For the granola
Line a large baking tray with baking paper and preheat the oven to 180°C. Blend the pumpkin purée, Medjool dates, mixed spice, ginger and coconut sugar or maple syrup in a blender until you have a thick paste. Place the oats, seeds and nuts into a bowl with the pumpkin and date paste, mixing to coat all the ingredients. Spread the mix onto a baking tray and roast for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and break up the granola a little to create chunks. Put back in for another 15 minutes being careful to watch the edges don’t singe. Take the mixture out of the oven, toss again and leave to cool. It becomes chewy and crispy as it cools. Once cool add the sultanas and cranberries and stir everything up. Keep the granola in an airtight container.
Makes 12
Ingredients
180g softly roasted pumpkin or squash (cooked flesh only) 2 ripe bananas (the browner the banana the sweeter for baking) 1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
90ml melted coconut oil
60ml milk
50g granulated sugar
280g plain flour
1 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
40g dark chocolate chips
40g raisins
Method
Heat the oven to 190°C.
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin cases.
To roast the pumpkin or squash cut them in half and remove the seeds. Place the two halves on a baking tray with the skin up, flesh down. Bake for appoximately 30-40 minutes until the flesh is soft. Use only the cooked soft flesh in this recipe, not the skin. Place the cooled roasted pumpkin and peeled bananas into a large bowl and mash well. Add the beaten egg, vanilla extract, oil, milk (your wet ingredients) and sugar and mix together. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, mixed spice, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda (your dry ingredients). Pour the wet ingredients bowl into the dry and blend together. The mix should have no flour showing but will be lumpy. In the final strokes add the raisins and chocolate chips. Spoon the mixture equally between the 12 muffin cases. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the muffins are golden and risen. The muffins should spring back when you touch the tops. Leave the muffins to cool in the tin for a few minutes and then lift to cool further on a wire rack. Eat fresh on day – warm is best! Can be frozen.
Did you know?
All pumpkins and squash are edible, but some varieties are tastier than others. When cooking, look for culinary pumpkins. These will be sweeter and tastier. The very large orange pumpkins are best left for carving at Halloween. Gourds are inedible and only used for decoration.