It's never too late for pumpkin.

Poor pumpkin. It gets a few months of glory around November and December when it seems like people can’t get enough of it.  Then, after Christmas, it seems to disappear from peoples memories.  I understand that if you eat too much of something, a terrible aversion can occur to that once delicious food.  There was a close call between me and carrot cake that was only remedied carefully and in small doses last year.

This carrot cake (on the left) saved me. I am forever grateful.

But as time passes, you come full circle and start to crave that food again.  However, this never seems to happen with people and pumpkin until November of the next year.  At least with most people. Lucky for you, I’m not most people.

I believe that pumpkin gets better as the winter gets longer.  Not necessarily the actual pumpkin, but the taste of it.  And the smell.  To me, cinnamon, chocolate, and pumpkin combine to create the trifecta of a warm, cozy, and comforting scent. A smell you didn’t expect to meet again until next Thanksgiving.

Have I convinced you to give pumpkin another try this winter?  This fruit, full of antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, just might surprise you this February.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Yield: one 8 x 8 pan
Adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie’s Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars

1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin (or cooked, pureed pumpkin)
1/4 cup milk (I used unsweetened soy milk)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Combine eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin, milk, canola oil, and vanilla in a different bowl.  Mix well.  Add the wet ingredients and chocolate chips to the dry ingredients.  Mix until just combined.

Spread into an oiled 8 x 8 pan and cook for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the pan comes out clean.  Enjoy!

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