4 years ago

Weekly Spotlight: Exploring the Pumpkin Spice Seasoning Blend and How to Use it at Home!

It’s pumpkin spice season again, and this fall flavor is everywhere! You can get pumpkin spice lattes (check out our guide on how to order one vegan), pumpkin spice donuts and desserts, and you can even make pumpkin spice muffins! If you love the flavor, you can also buy pumpkin pie spice to enjoy it at home, but making your own is simple and has many health benefits. Pumpkin spice isn’t just one spice but is a blend of spices including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Making pumpkin spice is a handy way to keep it in reach for all of fall. (If you’re unable to make it at home, you can buy pumpkin pie spice in stores!)

But, making pumpkin spice might mean you have extra of those seasonings around the house. Cinnamon has a variety of uses, but you may wonder how to incorporate nutmeg, ginger, and cloves into dishes. Ginger, nutmeg, and cloves are wonderful to sprinkle in desserts for a warmer and richer flavor, which hit the spot as the weather cools down. Nutmeg and cloves are strong spices, so a little goes a long way. Check out these ways to explore this wonderful spice blend and its components!

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes, it is the largest meatless, vegan, plant-based, and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help you get healthy! And don’t forget to check out our Weekly Meal Plan Archives!

This week, we’re bringing delicious, fully vegan, and plant-based ways to enjoy all the flavors of pumpkin spice, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice!

Pumpkin Spice

Source: Pumpkin Spice Turmeric Latte

Pumpkin spice is so much fun to use in recipes and it truly captures the perfect fall vibes. These pumpkin spice recipes are listed here to get you started, but if you’re looking for even more recipes, check out these roundups that cover making savory recipes using pumpkin, and different ways to enjoy pumpkin spice! If you’re looking for a meal plan to get you in the fall mood, check out this meal plan to get you started!

Ginger

Source: Maple Ginger Tofu

Ginger is widely used, so you might already have a few recipes in your rotation that use ginger. But, if you’re new to having and using ground ginger rather than fresh, here are some recipes for you to try! Ground ginger is great to cook with and you can do so much with it from making dressings to using it in cookies.

Nutmeg

Source: Chai Spice Iced Coffee

Nutmeg is a stronger spice, and so a little goes a long way! Nutmeg comes ground or whole, and depending on which you have, the measurements will differ when you use it in recipes. The recipes listed use ground nutmeg and since you only need a little at a time, nutmeg will last you for a while. If you are using the whole nutmeg, try using some of it in these delicious raw apple pies!

If you’re wondering what else to use nutmeg in, you can use it in chai. Chai spice uses nutmeg, so also check out our chai recipes for more inspiration! The best part about chai is that you can enjoy the chai flavor in both food and drinks!

Cloves

Source: Savory Tomato and Clove Jam

Cloves are like nutmeg in that they’re a strong spice. So, a pinch of cloves is enough to get the flavor. Cloves add warmth to your final dish. Depending on what you’re using them for, you can buy both ground cloves and whole cloves. Whole cloves are excellent to use and eat, but pack a strong flavor if eaten whole. Use their grounds if you’re making a seasoning mix like pumpkin spice so the flavor is blended better.

Allspice

Source: Jamaican Meat Patties

Allspice, like cloves, has a strong, warm flavor. The spice itself is a dried berry and can be used whole, as well. Allspice is also commonly found in Jamaican cuisines and is a star in these Jamaican Meat Patties. Try out using allspice in these recipes!

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