Pumpkin Recipes

So I go through these phases where I'm obsessed with a certain food (a few posts back it was zucchini)...and currently it's pumpkin puree! Pumpkin puree is typically eaten around Thanksgiving, but it really should be added to your everyday diet.  It's a complex carb that's high in fiber as well as other nutrients such as iron, potassium, and vitamin A.  Pumpkin puree can be added to pretty much anything.  It can also be used as a baking substitute! After reading this post you'll find that I especially like pumpkin and cinnamon together...seriously best combo.  Below are a few of my favorite recipes where I use pumpkin puree. I use Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin.

1. Pumpkin Protein Bread

Ingredients:

-1.5 scoops Cellucor Cor-Performance Cinnamon Swirl whey protein (you can use a different whey protein but macros will be different)

-1 cup Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin

-3/4 cup egg whites

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-1/2 tsp baking powder

-2+ tsp cinnamon

-3 tbsp flaxseed meal (Bob's Red Mill is what I use)

-1 tbsp baking stevia

Preheat oven to 350F.  Combine and mix ingredients well.  Spray a bread loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour in the mixture.  Cook for about 25-30 minutes.  

Per serving (I cut it up into 7 pieces): 68 calories, 5g carbs, 10g protein

2. Pumpkin Protein Pita

Ingredients:
-3/4 scoop Cellucor Cor-Performance Cinnamon Swirl whey protein
-1 tbsp Libby's Pumpkin
-Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
-Cinnamon
-1/2 banana, sliced
-Almond butter (optional)

Combine protein, pumpkin, and a ton of cinnamon (I don't know how much but I clearly love cinnamon so a lot!).  Then add a splash of almond milk and mix.  It should be a paste-like consistency (not too liquidy, but not thick like a nut butter either) so keep adding tiny amounts until it's like this.  Then spread the paste on a pita or wrap (I usually use a low carb wrap/pita or an Ezekiel pita depending on the time of day I eat it). Place the banana slices on the paste and fold/wrap the pita.  You can either put this on a George Foreman Grill (be careful it may ooze out a little) or just heat it up in the microwave! Sometimes I spread a tiny bit of almond butter on top after I heat it up (I use Justin's Maple Almond Butter-- so good!).
The cinnamon pumpkin mixture itself is about 106 calories, 3g carbs, and 19g protein (this will vary depending on what protein you use. Cellucor Cor-Performance whey is 130 calories per scoop and 25g protein). You can do what you want with it and don't necessarily need to eat it on a pita and/or with a banana.  Eating it like this can be a good breakfast, or pre/post workout meal....and it's SO yummy, but you can get creative!

3. Cinnamon Pumpkin Pie Oats

Ingredients:

-1/4 cup rolled/old-fashioned oats

-1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

-1 tbsp Libby's pumpkin

-1/2 scoop Cellucor Cor-Performance Cinnamon Swirl Whey (or other whey protein)

-1 packet stevia

-cinnamon

In a microwavable bowl, mix rolled oats, almond milk, pumpkin, and cinnamon.  Microwave for about 1:35 seconds (in my microwave I have to do 1 minute, stop it, then do 35 seconds or else it explodes!). Mix in whey protein, then mix in packet of stevia. Sometimes I add a few slices of banana... you can add whatever you'd like!