Pumpkin adds body, fiber, potassium and vitamin A to this dish.
Instead of piling the Joe mixture on buns, warm flatbread or naan, tear it into pieces, then alternate layers of mixture and bread.
Serve with coleslaw or kale salad.
Pumpkin Sloppy Joes
4 servings (makes a generous 2 cups)
To make pumpkin pie spice, combine 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 2½ teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves in a small bowl. Store in a clean spice container at room temperature for up to 6 months. Adapted from “The Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookbook: Delicious Recipes for Sweets, Treats and Other Autumnal Delights” by Stephanie Pedersen (Sterling, 2014).
½ medium onion
1 clove garlic
8 ounces lean ground pork
½ cup plain canned pumpkin purée (may substitute sweet potato or butternut squash purée)
4 ounces plain tomato sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon yellow or Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
4 whole-wheat Mediterranean flatbreads or whole-wheat naan
Cotija, queso fresco or goat cheese, for garnish (optional)
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Add those ingredients to the skillet, along with the pork. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat loses its raw look.
