VITAMINS THAT SUPPORT YOUR BEST LIFE™
VITAMINS THAT SUPPORT YOUR BEST LIFE™
It's that time of year again when the leaves start to fall and pumpkin starts to flavor everything you see! From the classic pumpkin pie to the ever so popular pumpkin spice latte, there are so many ways to add the decadent pumpkin flavor into so many recipes.
Fall has so many aspects to look forward to, but pumpkin is one of the best. From sweet treats to hearty soups it can be easy to go overboard. Check out these 10 Healthy Pumpkin Recipes that you will absolutely love and won't leave you feeling bad about your food choice.
Serving: 12 energy balls
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
If you like all things pumpkin and chocolate chip, you will love these easy, no-bake pumpkin energy balls by Two Peas & Their Pod. They only take a few minutes to make and are the perfect healthy treat for all!
1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
A pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup creamy almond butter
1/4 cup pumpkin
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the oats, flaxseed, chia seeds, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. With the paddle attachment, mix on low until ingredients are combined.
2. Add the almond butter, pumpkin, honey, and vanilla. Mix until the ingredients come together.
3. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
4. Roll the mixture into balls, about 2 tablespoons per ball. Place the pumpkin energy balls into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
5. Note-if you don't have a stand mixer, you can mix the energy balls in a bowl with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Yields: 2-3 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
This easy and healthy pumpkin overnight oats recipe by Beaming Baker that’s creamy, perfectly spiced, and tastes like pumpkin pie! It's a cozy autumn breakfast & dessert delight!
1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar
3 tablespoons coconut cream or non-dairy vanilla yogurt*
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1–2 teaspoons pure maple syrup (optional, but recommended)
optional topping:
Cinnamon, pecans, coconut whip
Coconut sugar or maple syrup
1. Set aside 2-3 resealable jars. Here are the resealable mini glass jars that I use–if using these, set aside 3 jars.
2. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl for easier stirring. Stir until well mixed, then pour into jars when done.
3. Seal jars.
4. Store overnight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.** Overnight oats will become thicker as each day passes. If desired, add non-dairy milk to thin it out. Enjoy cold, or heat in the microwave in 20-second increments until warm. Add toppings before serving.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Very easy to make 5 Ingredient Healthy Pumpkin Cookies recipe by Brooklyn Farm Girl! These Soft Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are sugar-free, instead of using maple syrup! Make sure to add chocolate chips on top to make them extra delicious!
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups quick oats
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Optional: chocolate chips or sugar-free chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray.
2. Add pumpkin, oats, syrup, peanut butter, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl and with hand mixer mix for about 30 seconds.
3. Form the dough into tablespoon-sized balls. The dough should be sticky. To make balls easier to roll with sticky dough, lightly wetten your fingers. Place on cookie sheets.
4. Gently press down each cookie with your fingers or spoon. You don’t want to squash them you just want to flatten them into a cookie shape.
5. Optional: Add chocolate chips (about 5-8) on top of each cookie.
6. Bake for 15-17 minutes.
Yields: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Full of hearty veggies and creamy pumpkin puree, this Pumpkin Chili from The Conscientious Eater is a fun spin on traditional chili and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Black pepper to taste
2 15 oz. cans chopped tomatoes
2 15 oz. cans kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
Garnish: avocado, cilantro, chili flakes, vegan sour cream
1. In a large pot, sauté the onions, garlic, and carrot until softened.
2. Add in the chopped celery and bell pepper and sauté a few minutes more until soft and cooked through.
3. Add in the spices--from the chili powder to the black pepper--and stir until all the veggies are coated in the spices. Continue stirring and cooking the spices for a few minutes.
4. Add in the canned chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, and pumpkin puree and stir to combine. Bring the chili to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the chili to simmer for 10-20 minutes. If you like your chili a bit runnier, add in some vegetable broth to thin it out. I love mine thick so I don't add any extra liquid. Towards the end of the cooking process, taste and add more salt and spices to your liking.
5. Once all the flavors have melded together and the chili it warmed through, serve it topped with your favorite garnishes!
Yield: 10-12 balls
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
This no-bake pumpkin bites recipe from Erin Lives Whole is easy to make and full of healthy ingredients like coconut flour, pumpkin puree, and maple syrup. This recipe is also perfect for gluten-free and vegan eaters! Use paleo chocolate to make them suitable for the paleo diet.
1/2 cup nut butter
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup coconut flour ( or 3/4-1 cup almond flour)
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
*1/4 tsp salt (if nut butter isn’t salted)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips + 1 cup melted chocolate for dipping.
1. In a large bowl, mix together nut butter, pumpkin, maple syrup, and vanilla.
2. Add in flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Stir till combined.
3. Stir in chocolate chips. Place in the fridge for ten minutes.
4. While the dough is in the fridge, melt chocolate for dipping. I like to add 1 tsp coconut oil to the chocolate and melt in 30-second increments in the microwave.
5. Take the dough out of the fridge and roll into balls. Dip in melted chocolate. I like to use a fork for this!
6. Place in the fridge or freezer to harden. Store in either.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Made with pumpkin puree and pecans, this crunchy vegan pumpkin granola from Milk and Pop is all you’ll want to start your Fall mornings. With a good amount of fiber, protein, and healthy fats, this vegan pumpkin spice granola makes a healthy and satisfying breakfast or snack.
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup almond oil
3 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 1/3 cup pecans
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup hemp seeds
pinch of salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a rectangular baking sheet with parchment paper or with a silicone mat.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and almond oil until combined.
3. In a large bowl, add the rolled oats, pecans, hemp seeds, salt, and pumpkin pie spice mix, and stir to combine.
4. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly combined.
5. Spread half of the granola in an even layer on a lined baking sheet. Don’t make the layer too thick or it won’t get too crunchy.
6. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes on 250° F, middle or middle-lower shelf, until the granola is lightly golden on top. It won’t be crunchy just after out of the oven, but it won’t feel wet either.
7. Let the granola cool before stirring and breaking into chunks. If you’re adding the dried cranberries, add them now.
8. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. It should be flavorful and crunchy for about 2 months.
Yield: 9 squares
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
These healthy pumpkin oat bars by Erin Lives Whole are the perfect recipe to make for a simple breakfast or easy snack! Add chocolate chips or raisins for a delicious addition.
1 cup whole wheat flour (or gluten-free 1:1 flour)
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup coconut oil – melted
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 eggs whisked
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease 8×8 inch baking pan with cooking spray or parchment paper.
3. In a medium bowl mix together flour, oats, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a large bowl beat pumpkin, coconut oil, coconut sugar, eggs, and vanilla together.
5. Add dry ingredients into wet and stir well. Then add in chocolate chips.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan; spreading evenly with a rubber spatula.
7. Bake for 16-18 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.
8. Store on the counter for up to 5 days or freezer for longer.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Moist, DELICIOUS vegan pumpkin bread by Well Plated is made with applesauce and no oil! EASY, packed with fall spices, and naturally sweetened, this recipe is the best!
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
5 tablespoons water
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Optional-For topping: pumpkin seeds chocolate chips, or chopped raw walnuts or pecans
1. In a small bowl, stir the flaxseed meal together with the water. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken (this creates 2 “flax eggs.”) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8x4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper so that two sides of paper overhang two opposite sides of the pan like "handles." Lightly coat with nonstick spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and applesauce until well blended. Add the thickened flaxseed mixture, and stir until fully combined. Stir in the pumpkin puree, almond milk, and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together the white whole wheat flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients all at once to the wet ingredients. By hand, stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, just until the flour disappears. The batter will be very thick.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips, nuts, or pumpkin seeds as desired. Bake for 20 minutes, then loosely tent the pan with foil to keep the top from browning too quickly. Continue baking for 50 to 60 additional minutes (70 to 80 minutes total), until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Be sure to test the bread and a few different places to make sure that it is fully cooked through. An even easier way to check: use an instant-read thermometer! When it registers 200 degrees F at the center of the loaf, the bread is baked.
5. Place the pan on a wire rack, and let it cool in the pan for 1 hour. Gently remove the loaf from the pan using the parchment paper handles, and transfer the loaf to the wire rack to finish cooling completely. Enjoy!
Yield: 4 to 6 bowls
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 70 minutes
This pumpkin soup recipe from Cookie and Kate is creamy AND healthy! It calls for roasted pumpkin for maximum flavor. This roasted pumpkin soup recipe would look lovely on your holiday dinner table, and leftovers would go great with sandwiches or salads the next day. Recipe yields 4 bowls or 6 cups of soup.
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
One 4-pound sugar pie pumpkin
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 large or 6 medium garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
Tiny dash of cayenne pepper (optional, if you like spice)
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1/4 cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Carefully halve the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds (you can roast the seeds if you’d like)
2. Slice each pumpkin halve in half to make quarters. Brush or rub 1 tablespoon olive oil over the flesh of the pumpkin and place the quarters, cut sides down, onto the baking sheet. Roast for 35 minutes or longer, until the orange flesh is easily pierced through with a fork. Set it aside to cool for a few minutes.
3. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add onion, garlic, and salt to the skillet. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes. In the meantime, peel the pumpkin skin off the pumpkins and discard the skin.
4. Add the pumpkin flesh, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cayenne pepper (if using), and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Use your stirring spoon to break up the pumpkin a bit. Pour in the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, to give the flavors time to meld.
5. While the soup is cooking, toast the pepitas in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, golden, and making little popping noises. You want them to be nice and toasty, but not burnt. Transfer pepitas to a bowl to cool.
6. Once the pumpkin mixture is done cooking, stir in the coconut milk and maple syrup. Remove the soup from heat and let it cool slightly. You can use an immersion blender to blend this soup in the pot. I prefer to use my stand blender, which yields the creamiest results—working in batches, transfer the contents of the pan to a blender (do not fill your blender past the maximum fill line!). Securely fasten the blender’s lid and use a kitchen towel to protect your hand from steam escaping from the top of the blender as you purée the mixture until smooth. Transfer the puréed soup to a serving bowl and repeat with the remaining batches.
7. Taste and adjust if necessary (I thought the soup was just right as is, but you might want to add more coconut milk for extra creaminess/milder flavor, or maple syrup to make it a little sweeter).
8. Ladle the soup into individual bowls. Sprinkle pepitas over the soup and serve. Let leftover soup cool completely before transferring it to a proper storage container and refrigerating it for up to 4 days (leftovers taste even better the next day!). Or, freeze this soup for up to 3 months.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cozy up for fall and treat your family to these healthy pumpkin muffins by Savory Nothings. They really are the best and use an entire can of pumpkin (no leftovers!).
1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar (optional)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 15- oz can pumpkin
1/2 cup runny honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat your oven to 330°F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with nonstick muffin liners.
2. Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients.
3. Next pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold just until combined, do not overmix. The batter will be quite thick.
4. Evenly distribute the muffin batter between the prepared muffin cups. Add streusel, if desired (See Tips below).
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out just clean.
The brown sugar is optional for a little sweeter and more decadent holiday treat. The muffins taste wonderful without it, too.
For streusel toppings, combine 3 tablespoons quick-cooking oats, 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts or pecans, and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl. Cut in 2-3 tablespoons stick butter and mix with your fingertips until small crumbs form. Sprinkle over the muffins just before baking, slightly pressing it into the batter to help it stick.