Best Healthy Pumpkin Recipes

With the fall season in full swing and Halloween and Thanksgiving quickly approaching, it may seem like your diet will have to be compromised. Though it seems like all pumpkin-filled treats are packed with carbs and sugar, there are healthy pumpkin recipes so you can still get your pumpkin fix while sticking to your diet.

Low Carb Pumpkin Waffles

Photo courtesy of http://www.lowcarbkitty.com/recipe/recipe-low-carb-pumpkin-waffles/

Ingredients –

• 1 cup almond flour
• 6 drops liquid stevia
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder aluminum free or gluten free
• 3/4 cup half n’ half or whole cream
• 1 dash salt

Instructions –

1. Mix all ingredients
2. Heat up your waffle iron and use cooking spray
3. Cook according to directions

Low Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse

Photo courtesy of http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/low-carb-pumpkin-cheesecake-mousse/

Ingredients –

• 2- 8 ounces packages cream cheese
• 1- 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree
• 2 cups heavy cream
• pinch salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1-2 teaspoons vanilla liquid stevia
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional toppings: cacao nibs or Sukrin Gold Brown Sugar Substitute

Instructions –

1. In a KitchenAid or stand mixer blend cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until whipped and fluffy about 5 minutes.
3. Taste and adjust sweetener to your liking if needed.
4. Pipe into serving glasses and top with cacao nibs or brown sugar sub like Sukrin if desired.
5. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Healthy Greek Yogurt Pumpkin Bread

Photo courtesy of http://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/the-best-healthy-greek-yogurt-pumpkin-bread/

Ingredients –

• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (or pumpkin Greek yogurt if you can find it)
• 1 large egg, organic recommended for flavor
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup flour (white or white-whole wheat)
• 1/2 cup oat flour (blended oats)
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped nuts, optional

Instructions –

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bread pan and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the pumpkin, Greek yogurt, egg, vanilla, coconut oil (measure in MELTED form), and brown sugar until well combined,
3. In another bowl, stir together the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, flour, and oat flour (measure oat flour AFTER blending the oats; to make oat flour, put old fashioned or quick oats in a blender and pulse them until they resemble flour).
4. Mix the wet and dry together until just combined (over-mixing will yield a denser bread). Stir in the chocolate chips if desired.
5. (If you are a huge spice lover you may want to increase spices – taste the batter to decide!)
6. Pour into the prepared bread ban and bake for 55-65 minutes or until a fork when inserted into the center comes out clean or the bread starts to pull away from the edges. If needed, tent the top with tin foil if the top of the bread is baking faster than the rest.
7. Err on the side of barely under baking the bread for a softer and denser pumpkin bread.
8. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. (I microwave a piece for 10-15 seconds before enjoying). Best eaten within 3 days otherwise tightly wrap individual pieces and freeze.

Sugar Detox Low Carb Pumpkin Cookies

Photo courtesy of http://theysmell.com/low-carb-pumpkin-cookies/

Ingredients –

• ½ – ¾ cups pumpkin puree
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 2 eggs
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp coconut flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions –

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease with butter or line baking sheet with parchment paper
3. In a bowl, whisk pumpkin, oil, eggs and vanilla together until blended.
4. Add the cinnamon and coconut flour (sifting will provide better results) and stir until fully combined.
5. Add in the coconut and mix thoroughly.
6. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheet and flatten slightly. Don’t make it took flat, these should be over ¼” thick, closer to ½ inch.
7. Bake 15 minutes until browned on the edges.

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

Photo courtesy of http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Pumpkin-Spice-Smoothie-11528628

Ingredients –

• 1/2 cup pumpkin (canned or freshly cooked)
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 scoop (approximately 2 tablespoons) vanilla protein powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• Pinch of ground ginger

Instructions –

1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend