Ted and Laura King seem to be on-the-go more often than not. As gravel cycling has boomed, so has these maple fanatics’ calendar. Now with two kids along for the ride, it’s all the more important to be cooking up tasty, healthy meals for the whole family to enjoy. Maple syrup is an ingredient they have at arm’s distance constantly, so it’s something that makes it into their meals with equal frequency.
Pumpkin Sage Rigatoni
For some, its pumpkin spiced latte season. A PSL doesn’t belong on your dinner plate, though, whereas pumpkin earns its place at the table with this dish. There are so many taste pairings that go together in this meal that’s it’s hard to beat. Pumpkin and sage, pumpkin and maple, maple and bacon, you can’t go wrong!
Ingredients
1 box Rigatoni
2-3 tbsp olive oil
½ large yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup fresh sage, chopped
1 can pumpkin pure
2 packets Maple UnTapped
½ cup cream or half-and-half
2 tbsp butter
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup of the cooked pasta water
4-5 strips of bacon. Sausage or mushrooms also works well here.
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Begin cooking pasta according to box’s instructions. Be sure to save 1 cup of the cooked pasta water when you’re draining the pasta.
Heat olive oil in a large pan on medium heat. A pan with high sides could be helpful, although not mandatory. Add onion and garlic, sauté until golden. Add sage and stir, cooking for 2-3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cream, butter, and 1 packet Maple UnTapped, whisk together until smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook bacon in a pan. When nearly done, add 1 packet of Maple UnTapped to create a maple glaze. Remove from heat, cool briefly, then chop.
Once pasta has cooked, strain water and return to a large pot. Add the pumpkin mixture and stir to coat. Pour cheese over pasta. Add between ¼ to 1 cup of pasta water and continue to stir to full coat. We’ve found the best success when adding the slightest bit more water than you think it needs.
Plate pasta and finish with chopped bacon on top or balsamic glaze.
Maple Roasted Fall Vegetables
A remarkably simple dish to prepare and an incredibly delicious dish to enjoy. Feel free to take liberties on the vegetables you choose. Go heavy on some or light on others depending on your taste.
Ingredients
1-2 large sweet potatoes
3-4 parsnips
3-4 large carrots
1-2 large beets
3-4 tbps olive oil
1 packet Maple UnTapped
Salt and pepper
¼ cup Feta Cheese
¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop all vegetables into ¾ inch chunks then put into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and packet of UnTapped. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then stir to coat veggies. Next, dump veggies onto a large baking sheet and spread evenly. Put into center rack of the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, moving vegetables around with a spatula approximately every 10 minutes to cook evenly.
Pour 1 tbsp olive oil into a skillet and roast pumpkin seeds on medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. The goal is to add a golden brown and crunch to the seeds. Set aside to cool.
Once veggies have finished cooking, serve a heaping portion onto a plate, then topped with feta cheese and cooked pumpkin seeds.
