Ice Cream

Easy as Pumpkin Pie! Make your own Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Pie Smoothies

If you are like us, you are certainly counting down the days till America’s favorite foodie holiday – Thanksgiving!  Each year we welcome family and friends to our table to share a feast and give thanks for our many life blessings.  If you have friends or family visiting for the long weekend, you’ll certainly need to feed them breakfast in addition to the big feast.  Here are a couple of festive pumpkin Thanksgiving breakfast treats to share with your guests:

 

Pumpkin Pie Smoothies1116656

Ingredients:

  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1/2 cup (120g) vanilla Greek yogurt1
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice2
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) skim milk3
  • 2 Tablespoons (30ml) pure maple syrup
  • 2/3 cup (150g) pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
  • 1 cup ice

 

Directions:

 

  1. Make sure you have a strong, powerful blender. I like this Ninja or this Vitamix.
  2. Add all of the ingredients to the blender in the order listed. Blend on high for at least 3 minutes or until smooth - this may take longer if your blender isn't very strong. Scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.
  3. Add more milk to thin out if it is too thick. Add a couple more ice cubes for a thicker texture, if desired. Add more spices to taste, if desired.

 

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Lattesrs_600x600-140818104456-600-latte-cm-81814

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons pure pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup hot espresso or strong brewed coffee
  • Sweetened whipped cream, for serving

 

Directions:

Combine the milk, pumpkin puree, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in a medium microwave safe bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and vent with a small hole. Microwave until the milk is hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk vigorously until the milk mixture is foamy, about 30 seconds. Pour the espresso or coffee into a large mug and add the foamed milk. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.

 

And of course when you get worn out from cooking, join us for breakfast in Denver over Thanksgiving weekend! We’ll be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but will be open and ready to serve you over the rest of the holiday!


Denver Breakfast

Fall Feast - Celebrate the Flavors of Fall!

September 22 marks the fall equinox and the official beginning of the new season.  We’ve all seen the return of pumpkin spice lattes over the past few weeks, but there are so many other flavors, fruits, and veggies that are iconic of the fall season.  When planning fall meals and celebrations, don’t forget these delicious seasonal treats!

Apple:  The fall apple harvest means hot apple cider, apple cinnamon donuts, caramel apples, apple pies…there are so many ways to incorporate this delicious seasonal fruit into your next meal and gathering.  Add a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger and these sweet and delicious treats will warm you on those first chilly evenings!Denver Breakfast

Pomegranate: This little fruit comes into season each fall with celebratory red colors and bright flavors.  Not to mention, pomegranates are packed full of vitamins!  Try adding pomegranate to your morning yogurt and granola, or spice up a seasonal salad with these delightful little berries.

Pear: Pears are also in season during the fall months and make any meal sweeter.  We like to add them sliced thin on sandwiches, or mixed in with a fall garden salad, and of course a pear tart with cinnamon and ginger makes for an enchanting fall desert!

Maple: At The Original Pancake House in Denver we enjoy hot maple syrup year round at our breakfast table, but maple is a great flavor to add to any dish this time of year.  We love to make maple pound cake and maple muffins for a yummy fall treat.

Butternut Squash:  We love this little gourd even more than pumpkin!  A warm bowl of butternut squash soup on a cool evening is a heavenly comfort meal.  We always season with a bit of fall spice such as ginger, nutmeg, and a dash of cinnamon.

The next time you are out for breakfast in Denver; try some of our fall favorite menu items at The Original Pancake House.  Our Apple Belgian Waffle and our Apple Pancake are chock full of fresh granny smith apples, with flavors of cinnamon and maple.  And Sara’s Pumpkin Pancakes are not to be missed with rich pumpkin, molasses, and pie spices.  Happy fall Denver!


parfait

Spooktacular Healthy Breakfast Treats!

It’s the time of year when ghosts and goblins pop up everywhere, pumpkins abound, and everyone is excited for Halloween! To get in the mood, we like to make all sorts of fun Halloween breakfasts treats at home.  Here are a few healthy ideas to add a little BOO to your breakfast!

parfait

Candy Corn Fruit Parfaits

  • 1 can (11 ounce) mandarin oranges
  • 1 can (20 ounce) pineapple chunks
  • 2 6-ounce containers of low-fat vanilla yogurt
  • candy corn pieces - for garnish

This is a fun and festive breakfast idea for the fall season - especially around Halloween. It’s ultra-fast to prepare and a healthy way to start the day. Fresh fruit could definitely be used in place of the canned fruit. Depending on the size of your glasses, this recipe makes 2 to 4 parfaits. Layer 1/3 of each glass with pineapple pieces, followed by an equal layer of mandarin oranges. Top each serving with a generous dollop of vanilla yogurt and a decorative piece of candy corn.

Terrifying Toast:

Trim a slice of toast to resemble a hand, foot or finger and then dollop strawberry or raspberry jam so it looks severed and bleeding. You can do the same thing with waffles and pancakes. For a quick, edible ghost, rip a small hole in a piece of toast to act as a mouth and then use chocolate chips or berries to make eyes.

Apple Monster Mouth!

These apple treats make a great Halloween-themed breakfast or snack – and they are healthy!  To prepare, cut applean apple into quarters and then take a slice out of each quarter.  Next, poke in almond slivers for the teeth.  Alternatively you can spread peanut butter in the inside of the “mouth” and use marshmallows as the teeth.

Every year at The Original Pancake House we like to dress up for the holiday, so if you join us for breakfast in Denver on the 31st, don’t forget to wear your costume!  Have a safe and happy Halloween, Denver!