Home » 5 Ways To Express Gratitude + Friendsgiving Pumpkin Pie Empanadas
5 Ways To Express Gratitude + Friendsgiving Pumpkin Pie Empanadas
- November 23, 2021
- Ashley Tyrner
Prep
90 mins
cook
30 mins
serves
10
Gratitude – the quality of being thankful and showing appreciation.
Expressing gratitude and being grateful are often recurring themes during the month of November. Whether celebrating Thanksgiving, or a Friendsgiving amongst loved ones, noticing what you have in your life and being appreciative of those things is something that can be applied to our lives on a daily basis. Different ways to express gratitude usually fall into one of two categories: verbally and non-verbally. For some people, the easiest way to show their appreciation is to use loving, joyous words to express themselves, while others may gravitate towards doing a kind act to express gratitude.
Whether you prefer to say an enthusiastic, “thank you” using all of your favorite adjectives to verbalize how you feel versus showing your appreciation through a small gift or act of service, developing the habit of expressing gratitude is one that can uplift your mood, as well as those around you.
How can I express my gratitude?
Write a letter – Do you prefer to sit down and carefully think about the words you’d like to use to show how thankful you are? Writing a short thank-you letter and giving it to someone you care about is one way to express how you feel. You can simply say, “Thank you,” or elaborate by going into the details as to why you are thankful. A sweet letter can be extended to your neighbor, hair stylist, the postman, or anyone whom you’d like to offer your appreciation.
Tell a friend – Don’t be afraid to randomly call up a good friend of yours and tell them that you appreciate them. Send them a quick text message or send a little message through social media. It’s quick, easy, and can easily make another person’s day.
Journaling – Similar to writing a letter, however, this time you won’t have to share your words with anyone other than yourself. Journaling allows you to express yourself with no limitations. Consider choosing one journal to be your “Gratitude Journal” and everyday, write down what you are grateful for in your life.
Before your meal – Whether religious or not, the act of being grateful for the food you eat, is a healthy practice to adopt. Saying a simple, “thank you” before eating your meal allows you to ground yourself in the present moment and be thankful for the food that you have in front of you.
Gifting – Not everyone feels comfortable expressing how they feel, specifically their appreciation, through their words. This is totally okay! Another way to show your gratitude is to give a small gift proportionate to the act that was done to you. For example, if your spouse spent hours cooking you your favorite meal or cleaning the home, in addition to a “thank you,” you may find it more natural to buy them a token of appreciation such as their favorite chocolates, flowers, or a piece of jewelry.
Ingredients
Filling
15 oz can pumpkin puree
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp cinnamon
½ cup coconut sugar
3 tbsp maple syrup
Crust
2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Greek yogurt
4 tbsp salted butter, cut into pea sized pieces
Topping
1 egg
2 tbsp coconut sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
Directions
- Prepare dough. Cut butter into pea sized pieces and combine with flours and Greek yogurt. Form into a single mass, kneading gently just until the dough comes together and is somewhat smooth. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
- While the dough is setting, prepare the filling. Combine the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and coconut sugar and stir until well-mixed.
- Once the dough is chilled, cut into 10 even pieces. Roll into balls and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll into 6-inch disks and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the center of each disk. Fold over, and press the empanada shell together with a fork. Slice three small ventilation holes in the center of the empanada.
- Whisk the egg until no white streaks remain. Gently brush the egg onto each empanada.
- Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the empanadas, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and flakey.
Being grateful is a wonderful practice for being more mindful and grounded in the present moment. Be sure to recognize the aspects of your life that you are appreciative of having, especially during the holiday season. The Farmbox family wants to wish you warm, loving holidays ahead, and we hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving celebration.
What is Friendsgiving?
Friendsgiving – a gathering consisting of friends around a feast in celebration of Thanksgiving.
More and more, the holiday season is including modern renditions on classic traditions. Friendsgiving, a splicing of the words “friends” and “thanksgiving” (who would’ve thought,) is usually an informal gathering that brings together buddies both new and old around a delicious Thanksgiving-inspired spread. While on the main turkey day, it may be the head of the house taking care of all the table trimmings, Friendsgiving is more of a potluck that includes everyone bringing one of their favorite dishes.
Check out our delicious recipe below for fresh Pumpkin Pie Empanadas. The dish perfectly combines our favorite fall flavors pumpkin and cinnamon into palm-sized little treats. These empanadas are sure to be a fan-favorite at your upcoming Friendsgiving get-together. Let us know how the recipe turns out by tagging us at @FarmboxRx. Now let’s jump right in!
Friendsgiving Pumpkin Pie Empanadas Recipe
Ashley Tyrner Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Filling
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
Crust
- 2 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 4 tbsp salted butter cut into pea-sized pieces
Topping
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare dough. Cut butter into pea sized pieces and combine with flours and Greek yogurt. Form into a single mass, kneading gently just until the dough comes together and is somewhat smooth. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
- While the dough is setting, prepare the filling. Combine the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and coconut sugar and stir until well-mixed.
- Once the dough is chilled, cut into 10 even pieces. Roll into balls and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll into 6-inch disks and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the center of each disk. Fold over, and press the empanada shell together with a fork. Slice three small ventilation holes in the center of the empanada.
- Whisk the egg until no white streaks remain. Gently brush the egg onto each empanada.
- Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the empanadas, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and flakey.