It’s officially fall, so feel free to start indulging in one of the season’s most beloved flavors: pumpkin! Pumpkin has become a staple for many autumn meals and treats. Luckily, because pumpkin itself is healthy, there are plenty of healthy pumpkin recipes out there for you to try.
Did you know pumpkin is good for weight loss?
Pumpkin has a history of being a good tool for weight loss. It’s high in protein and contains fewer calories than most other carbs. Pumpkin also contains a lot of water, which is another key to losing weight.
Pumpkin is also good for digestion
Pumpkin is a useful food to treat digestive issues due to the low amounts of starch and sugar but high amounts of fiber. Another benefit of pumpkin is that it’s a soft food, so your body should have little to no trouble breaking it down after eating.
Additionally, eating healthy is important going into the winter months, when your immune system needs a boost. Finding a way to incorporate fall-themed food, including some of these healthy pumpkin recipes, into your diet is a great way to feel good and happy while trying new things.
Four healthy pumpkin recipes
Lentil pumpkin soup
- 1 pound of red potatoes, cut into one-inch pieces
- 1 can (15 oz.) of pumpkin puree
- 1 cup of dried lentils, rinsed
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
- 2 cans of vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups of water
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for seven to nine hours, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and lentils are tender.
Healthy pumpkin bread
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 1 3/4 cups wheat flour
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Whisk the coconut oil and maple syrup together in a bowl. From there, add in the eggs and blend. Next, scoop in the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, salt, baking soda and almond milk. After that, grab a big spoon to stir in the flour until all the ingredients are combined. Pour your final batter into a greased loaf pan and bake in the oven for 55 to 60 minutes. Once it is out of the oven, let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then for an additional 20 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing and enjoying.
Healthy pumpkin muffins with peanut butter
- 1/2 cup peanut butter – almond butter works, too
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a big bowl, combine your baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. In a separate bowl, mix together your wet ingredients – eggs, peanut butter, pumpkin puree, vanilla and honey. From there, add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients. Mix until the batter thick but smooth.
Using a muffin tin lined with muffin liners, distribute the batter evenly into the pan. Baked for 18 to 22 minutes and then let them cool before indulging.
Homemade pumpkin cookies
- 2 1/2 cup of rolled oats
- 1 cup of pumpkin puree
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, coconut sugar, agave or any natural sweetener
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
- 1/2 cup of dairy-free chocolate chips
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then, mix all the ingredients above in a large bowl. Use your hands to make 12 cookies from the bowl mixture and place the cookies on a baking pan with parchment paper.
Once the oven is heated, bake cookies for 10 minutes. Let them cool for a few minutes afterward, then enjoy!
Now that you have four new healthy pumpkin recipes to try, learn more about the nutrition services we provide at Bon Secours.
