This past week I read an article about foods traditionally served on the Mexican holiday,"Dia de los Muertos," (Day of the Dead), which falls on November 1. If you're not from the Southwest, you cannot appreciate the festivities associated with this holiday, on which Mexicans honor their passed relatives.
My favorites are the skeleton cookies!
I know, it sounds a little morbid, but it's all about remembering and honoring your loved ones, and maybe even visiting their burial sites with offerings of trinkets and their favorite foods.
The article about Dia de los Muertos foods described a warm, gruel-like beverage called atole, which is typically made with masa or oatmeal, and spiced with cinnamon. I found one, however, based on pumpkin and pumped up with peanut butter, that looked especially healthy and yummy. It is from the blog, A Visit With Grandma.
It's really a healthy, caffeine-free twist on a pumpkin latte! Tee hee…all this time you thought someone up in a Seattle test kitchen thought of it first…
Here it is…enjoy!
Americanized Pumpkin Atole
To a blender add:
1 egg
a few glugs of molasses
some sugar (brown or white)
2 cups of cooked squash or pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
optional — 2 or 3 tablespoons of peanut butter
milk (fill the remaining space in the blender with milk, leaving just a little space at the top.
-Blend this all up and taste to see if it needs more sweetening.
-Pour the mix into a pot and heat until just boiling.
-Serve