Energy-packed pumpkin cookies - vegan and gluten free

Left to my own devices, I rarely buy pumpkin. This isn't really deliberate, as I like pumpkin and enjoy it plain and mixed into dishes. Rather, it reflects a certain amount of laziness on my part at the time of purchasing (pumpkin is heavy) and when thinking about preparing it (because, you know, it takes a good minute or two to peel and cut up).

Luckily for me, I'm not left to my own devices with vegetable buying these days. Aussie Farmer's Direct have provided me with two pumpkins over my previous three deliveries (six weeks), pulling me out of my pumpkin avoidance and highlighting that, actually, pumpkin is really very easy to prepare and very versatile to use.

Protein-packed pumpkin cookies

These cookies were made without reference to a recipe, and perhaps as a result, they are a bit of a hybrid product. Cookie-muffin-scones might be a better description. In effect, they look like cookies with a twist of scone, but the interior is soft and more like a muffin in texture. If you can forgive that - or embrace it! - then they are really very enjoyable.

I used incaberries in my ingredient list, making use of the sample I was provided, but you could substitute tart dried cherries, or jump across and use chocolate chips instead. Or use both. Should you be fortunate enough to have access to all three, you could even use incaberries, tart dried cherries, and chocolate chips.

When made with the ingredient list below, two of these cookies will give you 7g of protein and 9g of heart-healthy, good for you fats. This is a snack with staying power.

Energy-packed pumpkin cookies.

Importantly, these cookies are also a snack that taste good. The peanut butter and sesame seeds shine through, the tartness of the incaberries is offset by the sweetness of the pumpkin, and the maple syrup and nutmeg pull it all together.

I don't plan to neglect pumpkin again in a hurry.

Energy-packed pumpkin cookies

Makes about 16 cookies

Adapted from my imagination

Vegan and gluten free

Print recipe

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa flakes (you could use oats but the texture would be heavier)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2 cups cooked and mashed pumpkin (equivalent to 1 medium butternut pumpkin)

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup incaberries

1/4 cup currants

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Method

Preheat your oven to 160'C (320'F) and line two baking trays with baking paper.

Combine the quinoa flakes, baking soda and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, peanut butter and apple cider vinegar and mix well to combine.

Stir in the incaberries, currants and sunflower seeds.

Place heaped spoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking trays, leaving space between each cookie.

Bake for 30 minutes or until just crisp on the outside (the cookies will still be soft). Allow to cool on the pans. Store in the fridge.

I think these cookies could rise to pretty much any occasion, regardless of time or location. I also think they would work quite well with sweet potato...anyone want to try that twist and let me know?

Tell me - what are your favourite uses for pumpkin? I have another one waiting to be used!

Submitted to Ricki's Wellness Weekend 9th to 13th May 2013.

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