By: Mike Avila, DadEncyclopedia.com
If you follow me on social media, especially Instagram, then you know I have an irrational love for all things Pumpkin. The fall for me is all about Pumpkining (not sure if that’s a word, but I like the way it reads and sounds). Sadly, my fascination with this product of the Cucurbitaceae family is not shared by my family. My girls just don’t get the awesomeness of Pumpkin-flavored anything. Clearly, I have failed them.
[But they do like pumpkin patches, so there’s that.]
Since this is the most popular time of the year for pumpkin I figured I’d do my civic duty and help you guys figure out the best way to celebrate pumpkin’s popularity.
Here are five of the most delicious delights including Pumpions, as the Brits used to call it, that I’ve had the pleasure of trying this season. Read, enjoy, and get Pumpkining!
1. The Jamba Juice Pumpkin Delight – Tried this smoothie for the first time during a recent trip back to NYC, and WOW. It’s basically Fall in a cup. so much pumpkiny goodness. It’s made with actual real pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg & almond milk, so even vegans can enjoy it. I’m a longtime fan of Jamba’s Pumpkin Smash, but this is now my go-to Pumpkin smoothie.
2. Cracker Barrel Pumpkin Pancakes – Just about everyone has their take on pumpkin pancakes. I’m here to tell you, they all take a backseat to the fall flapjacks at everyone’s favorite roadtrip comfort food joint. Fluffy, colorful and delicious, the Pumpkin Pancakes at Cracker Barrel are the bomb-diggity. Bonus points: the CB’s all natural syrup bottles are a nice touch for food Instagrammers.
3. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds – Given the cornucopia of Pumpkin products available at Trader Joe’s, it’s understandable if one or two gems get overlooked. Don’t make the mistake of letting this one escape your grasp.
The pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds are AMAZING. I don’t all-CAPS for nothing, folks. Trust me, it’s highly likely that once you rip open a bag of these seeds, you won’t stop eating until you’re at the bottom. In which case, I suggest you take the remaining crumbs and put them in a bowl of Pumpkin O’s & milk (I’m not joking). You can’t go wrong with a number of Trader Joe’s pumpkin stuff — I recently bought a dump truck’s worth — but these seeds are a nice and different take on the pumpkin craze.
4. Einstein Bros Pumpkin Walnut Crunch Bagel – I’ve had pumpkin-flavored bagels before and I’m usually underwhelmed. This carb wheel got me right in the taste buds, though. The crunchy topping was a bit messy but worth it for the tastiness. Not sure if they use actual pumpkin in the making of the bagel, but if authenticity matters to you, then just add the Low-Fat Pumpkin Shmear. That’s right, PUMPKIN SHMEAR. and it’s low-fat, though if you slather as much on the bagel as I do, you’re defeating the purpose of the whole reduced-calorie thing! Anyway, it’s the holidays, calories don’t count! If there’s an Einstein Bros near you, go & try this bad boy, but definitely add the pumpkin cream cheese for the full effect.
5. Krispy Kreme Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnuts – Full Disclosure: I write this soaking in a pool of pumpkin tears over the fact that I wasn’t be able to try the One-Day only Pumpkin Spice Original Glazed Doughnuts (seriously, Krispy Kreme? How can neither of your Miami stores have these? It has me feeling all …