Today I wanted to jump for joy; at 8:00 AM, it was only 67˚ outside. Hallelujah! When you’ve spent over 3 months waking up to the high 80s and suffocating humidity, you take what you can get.

I realize Saturday marks the beginning of fall, but in the Deep South—where the only 2 “seasons” are summer and not summer—almost needing a sweater this early in the year is divine intervention.

Ladies and gents, you can thank me for that cool breeze, an obvious result of all the pumpkin I’ve been cooking lately!

pumpkin whole wheat muffins:

spiced pumpkin smoothies:

pumpkin vegan overnight oats:

and today, creamy pumpkin pasta!

This recipe is adapted from Chef Chloe Coscarelli’s creamy pumpkin penne with crispy sage. I’ve cut it in half, since it yields too much pasta for just Mark and me. I follow her recipe but use a bit less salt and add some cayenne pepper for a kick.

The pasta is creamy but not too heavy—and the crispy fried sage should NOT be left out! It adds a nice crunch (in addition to the toasted nuts) and, in my opinion, sage is the quintessential fall spice.

Using whole wheat penne, almond milk, and just small amount of oil, I like to think of this recipe as pretty healthy. Pumpkin is one of the most nutritious fruits around; it’s full of carotenoids, fiber, and vitamins C and E, which give pumpkin its super food status. In other words, eat more pumpkin and summon up the cool breezes of fall!