Ditch the Pumpkin Spice Latte: 10 Ways to Incorporate Pumpkin into Your Meals

Fall is the season of changing leaf colors, sweaters, and if you’re basic like me, pumpkin spice lattes. PSL’s are uniquely tasty in one sense, but also kind-of-really unhealthy with all of their added sugars and syrups. Let’s face it, it’s not the best possible way to get your daily dose of pumpkin.

Pumpkin itself, however, is one amazing vegetable. It’s a powerful storehouse of vitamins A, C, and E, packed with dietary fiber, and contains lots of minerals. As an added bonus, pumpkin has been touted as especially beneficial for the eyes thanks to its high carotene, zea-xanthin, and lutein levels. If your eyes are getting bleary from studying for those midterms, you know which vegetable to pick up at the market this weekend!

Pumpkin is an under-appreciated food item, but this is understandable; it just doesn’t seem to be as versatile as some other fruits and vegetables.

However, there are numerous creative and delicious ways to incorporate pumpkin into your meals this fall season, starting with the recipes and meal ideas below!

Breakfast

1. Low Fat Whole Grain Pumpkin Pancakes

Use a whole wheat pancake base and mix with cinnamon, spice, canned pumpkin, and skim milk.

2. Pumpkin Yogurt Parfait

In a small bowl, mix pumpkin puree or steamed pumpkin, agave nectar, ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg until combined. Layer pumpkin, Greek yogurt, and granola in a clear bowl/cup. Sweeten with agave nectar if desired.

 

Lunch

3. Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

In a large nonstick skillet, sauté several cloves of garlic and half an onion diced. Add 1.5-2 cups of pumpkin puree, stir to combine. Add vegetables, minced fresh sage/rosemary, and serve over whole wheat penne pasta.

4. Gourmet Pumpkin Pizza

Roll out and bake prepared whole wheat pizza crust. Mix tomato sauce with pumpkin puree, then spread over pizza crust. Top with pumpkin cubes, onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and goat cheese. Bake for 10 minutes.

 

Dinner

5. Steamed Pumpkin & Baby Bok Choy with Ginger Sauce

Steam the pumpkin (directions here), slice into smaller chunks, serve with slightly sautéed baby bok choy with ginger sauce drizzled on top.

6. Crock Pot White Bean Pumpkin Chili

Yummy but slightly complicated recipe. Directions here.

Dessert

7. Low Fat Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

Take your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe (or use this one here), and simply add 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree and 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice to the mix.

8. Pumpkin Cheesecake Shooters

Mix together 4 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup pure canned pumpkin, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Crush graham crackers. Sprinkle a teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs on the bottom of each shot glass, layer pumpkin cheesecake mix, finish with whipped topping. Continue to layer until no more space is left in the glass.

 

Drinks

9. Skinny Banana Pumpkin Smoothie

Blend ½ a banana, ½ cup skim milk, ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ tablespoon brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ cup pure pumpkin, ½ cup crushed ice.

10. Homemade Pumpkin Creamer

Blend 2 tablespoons almond butter, 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground clove, 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger, and 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin. Start with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup to sweeten, and add more if desire.

11. Pumpkin Spice Latte?

Just kidding!

 

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