My favorite part of the fall season? It’s making pumpkin a big part of my diet. Pumpkins are low in calories and loaded with nutrients like Vitamins A, B6, C and E as well as potassium and folate. This delicious fruit (pumpkin is not a vegetable!) is primarily thought of as a favorite pie ingredient and aspiring Jack ‘o Lantern. But it can be incorporated into your meals without adding sugar, as is the case in many pumpkin recipes. Here are a few health-conscious suggestions you can try:

 

Pumpkin-Inspired Meal Ideas:

• Add canned pumpkin into a pot of hot oatmeal with a dash of cinnamon.
• Add canned pumpkin into your pancake mix.
• Make a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie in a blender using:
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • ½ banana
  • 6 oz.  nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt
  • ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ Tbsp. honey
  • 1 cup crushed ice

• Make Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese:
  • Box of whole wheat penne pasta
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 cups spinach
  • 1 can of pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    • Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to directions on package minus 2 minutes, and reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water when done.
    • Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet. Sauté onions and spinach until softened.
    • Stir in canned pumpkin and ricotta cheese. Empty drained pasta plus 1/2 cup of reserved cooking water into skillet and mix well.
    • Spoon pasta into 11 x 7 baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!