Pumpkin has become a staple of fall meals and desserts. And luckily, because pumpkin itself is healthy, there are plenty of nutritious recipes that contain pumpkin puree.
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 of a lot of water, which is another great key to losing weight.
Pumpkin is 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.
Three healthy pumpkin recipes
Eating healthy is important going into the winter months and finding a way to incorporate fall-themed food into your diet is a great way to feel good and happy while trying new things. These healthy pumpkin recipes are low carb, high fiber and perfect for fall.
Lentil pumpkin soup
- 1 pound red potatoes, cut into one-inch pieces
- 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
- 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 cans vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cup 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.
Creamy pumpkin marinara
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 can (15 oz.) tomatoes, diced or crushed
- 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Ground black pepper
- Finely grated Parmesan cheese, optional
- Chopped parsley, optional
Place a large pan with olive oil on the stovetop at medium heat. Once it simmers, toss in the pepper and onion with one-fourth teaspoon of salt. Cook and stir for six to eight minutes, or until ingredients become tender. Then, add the garlic, oregano, tarragon and cinnamon and stir for one minute. Stir in tomatoes for one minute. Stir in the can of pumpkin, tending to the pan for another five minutes.
Take the pan off the heat and pour the contents into a blender. Add butter and vinegar and blend until mixture becomes creamy. Season the mixture with pepper and the remaining salt. Stir sauce into pasta and sprinkle the optional Parmesan and parsley on top if desired.
Pumpkin blondies
- 1 1/4 cup oat flour
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch of salt
- 3/4 can pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips, divided
In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, pumpkin spice and a pinch of salt. Pour wet ingredients in with the dry and stir without over-mixing. Add one-fourth cup of chocolate chips.
Before baking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper. Carefully pour the batter into the pan, smoothing it out until it’s even. Add the other one-fourth cup of chocolate chips to the top once the batter has been poured. Bake for approximately 22 minutes, regularly checking with a toothpick to determine if the blondies are fully cooked. Let cool before cutting.
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