If you’re at all like us, you don’t need another reason to eat pumpkins; what you need is another way to eat pumpkins. Here you have it: Pumpkin Lavender Scones. This tea-time recipe is simply scrumptious! It shows that fall foods can be just as light and lovely as their spring counterparts. And best of all, it's made with heart-healthy olive oil -- no butter! Just add a cup of tea, a spot of jam and perhaps a girlfriend to chat the day away with.

Makes 8 scones

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup raw sugar
1 tablespoon culinary lavender
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup milk
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup small-diced pumpkin (or sweet potato), boiled to just-soft

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Sift together flour, sugar, lavender, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add milk and olive oil; stir until just mixed. Gently fold in cooked pumpkin.

Adding a dusting extra of flour if batter is very sticky, knead dough gently about 10 times. Form dough into a large ball; divide into two even balls. Form each ball into a 1-inch thick circle; place on prepared baking sheet. Using a spatula, gently score each ball into 4 wedges (making 8 wedges total).

Bake 17 to 20 minutes, until scones are lightly golden, puffed, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack for 10 minutes; serve warm or at room temperature. Store, covered, on the countertop for up to a week (if they’re not gone by tomorrow morning!).

Follow Kimberley on Twitter @GreenGourmetKim

Photos by Kimberley Stakal