With Halloween only a couple of days away you can expect to see pumpkins popping up here there and everywhere. However many of these pumpkins are hollowed out and just used to create scary faces and putting candles in without actually using the pumpkin filling.
Pumpkin is an extremely nutrient dense food, meaning it is chock-full of vitamins and minerals but low on calories. There are many creative ways pumpkin can be incorporated into your diet, including desserts, soups, salads, preserves and even as a substitute for butter.
So with that said here is a recipe for Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Maple French Toast. Date sweetened pumpkin and ricotta sandwiched between two slices of whole grain bread, dipped in an eggy maple custard and fried to sweet perfection.
This simple recipe is easily personalised, you can play around with the fillings and spices like substituting dried cranberries for the dates, cream cheese for the ricotta or using orange zest and pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon. We like a lot of filling in our stuffed French toast, if you prefer less just reduce the pumpkin to 3 tablespoons.
Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Maple French Toast
Prep time: 20 mins / Cook time 10 mins / Total time 30 mins
Serves: 2 Stuffed French Toasts
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 2 Medjool dates, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 slices whole grain bread
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup non-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2-3 sprays cooking oil spray or butter for greasing griddle
Optional Toppings:
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup for drizzling
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds/arils
Instructions
1. Mix together the pumpkin, ricotta, dates and cinnamon. Spread mixture onto 2 slices of bread leaving a small border. Top with remaining bread slices and press edges to seal.
2. In an 8x8 baking dish whisk together the egg, milk, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon.
3. Heat a griddle or pan to medium heat and grease with butter or cooking oil spray.
4. Dip the stuffed sandwiches into the egg mixture for 20-25 seconds on each side. Carefully remove the soaked sandwiches and cook on the griddle until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side. (Discard any leftover egg mixture)
5. Serve warm with maple syrup and pomegranate arils.
Notes;
To keep the stuffed French toast warm while you clean up you can place a cookie sheet in your toaster oven or oven and preheat it to 325 F before starting. When the French toast is done on the griddle place it on the warmed cookie sheet and return to the oven for 10 minutes until you’ve cleaned up and are ready to eat.
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