Get Your Pumpkin Spice Fix—the Healthy Way
| 4 min read
It’s hard to deny that the moment it turns slightly cooler out, pumpkin-flavored everything becomes irresistible. But while the pumpkin spice latte (a.k.a. #PSL) is doubtless the most popular option out there, the sugar-packed drink isn’t the healthiest option to satisfy your taste buds. So skip the café and opt for one of these recipes that feature the delicious flavor of a PSL, without all those extra calories.
Paleo Pumpkin Pie Spice Muffins
Adapted from Paleo Breakfast
½ cup coconut flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup coconut oil, melted
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
¼ cup honey, melted
3 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine coconut flour, pumpkin pie spice and baking powder together in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, mix remaining ingredients, except the walnuts, until well blended. Add the flour mixture and mix until smooth. Fill muffin tins ¾ of the way with the pumpkin mixture and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until light brown.
Nutritional Information (Makes 18 muffins; 1 serving = 1 muffin): 117 calories, 9.4 g fat, 0.5 g fiber, 3.2 g protein, 5.9 g carbohydrates
Adapted from Paleo Breakfast
½ cup coconut flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup coconut oil, melted
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
¼ cup honey, melted
3 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine coconut flour, pumpkin pie spice and baking powder together in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, mix remaining ingredients, except the walnuts, until well blended. Add the flour mixture and mix until smooth. Fill muffin tins ¾ of the way with the pumpkin mixture and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until light brown.
Nutritional Information (Makes 18 muffins; 1 serving = 1 muffin): 117 calories, 9.4 g fat, 0.5 g fiber, 3.2 g protein, 5.9 g carbohydrates
Pumpkin Spice Protein Pancakes
Adapted from DangDish
2 scoops of protein powder (chocolate or vanilla)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 egg whites
1 cup oats
2 tablespoons almond milk
1 tablespoon honey
Blend all ingredients until smooth. If the batter looks thick, add another tablespoon of almond milk. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Place a spoonful worth of pumpkin batter onto the warm skillet. Cook for three minutes on each side, or until browned. Serve warm with maple syrup or fresh fruit.
Nutritional Information (Serves 3): 108 calories, 1 g fat, 4 g fiber, 14 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 1 g sugar
Adapted from DangDish
2 scoops of protein powder (chocolate or vanilla)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 egg whites
1 cup oats
2 tablespoons almond milk
1 tablespoon honey
Blend all ingredients until smooth. If the batter looks thick, add another tablespoon of almond milk. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Place a spoonful worth of pumpkin batter onto the warm skillet. Cook for three minutes on each side, or until browned. Serve warm with maple syrup or fresh fruit.
Nutritional Information (Serves 3): 108 calories, 1 g fat, 4 g fiber, 14 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 1 g sugar
Chocolate Swirl Pumpkin Spiced Smoothie
Adapted from Fuss Free Cooking
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/3 cups milk (can switch for soy or almond milk)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
Combine all ingredients except for the cocoa powder in a large blender. Scoop half of the pumpkin mixture into a measuring cup. Add the cocoa powder into the remaining pumpkin mixture in the blender. Blend until well mixed. Fill glass with half of the chocolate flavored smoothie and half plain pumpkin smoothie.
Nutritional Information (makes 2 cups; 1 serving = 1 cup): 234 calories, 3.7 g fat, 6.7 g fiber, 5.9 g protein, 44.8 g carbohydrates
Adapted from Fuss Free Cooking
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/3 cups milk (can switch for soy or almond milk)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
Combine all ingredients except for the cocoa powder in a large blender. Scoop half of the pumpkin mixture into a measuring cup. Add the cocoa powder into the remaining pumpkin mixture in the blender. Blend until well mixed. Fill glass with half of the chocolate flavored smoothie and half plain pumpkin smoothie.
Nutritional Information (makes 2 cups; 1 serving = 1 cup): 234 calories, 3.7 g fat, 6.7 g fiber, 5.9 g protein, 44.8 g carbohydrates
Baked Pumpkin Ravioli
Adapted from POPSugar Fitness
56 wonton wrappers
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon fresh pepper
1 teaspoon egg white
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup marinara sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking oil. Mix pumpkin puree, ricotta, salt, nutmeg and pepper together in a medium bowl. Place 28 of the wonton wrappers on the baking sheets. Spoon a tablespoon of the pumpkin mixture in the center of each wrapper. Lightly brush around the edges of the filling of each wonton wrapper with the egg white. Place a remaining wonton wrapper on top of each of the wrappers with the pumpkin mixture, and use your fingers to press down around the filling. Trim the edges of each ravioli with a knife or pizza cutter to desired size, then press a fork down around the edges to seal. Lightly brush each ravioli with a small amount of virgin olive oil. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, depending on the texture you prefer (more baking time will leave a pleasant wonton crunch around the edges, less baking time will be more pasta-like ravioli). Serve the raviolis hot with marinara sauce and sage, if desired.
Nutritional Information (makes 28 raviolis; 1 serving = 4 raviolis): 204 calories, 10 g protein
Adapted from POPSugar Fitness
56 wonton wrappers
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon fresh pepper
1 teaspoon egg white
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup marinara sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking oil. Mix pumpkin puree, ricotta, salt, nutmeg and pepper together in a medium bowl. Place 28 of the wonton wrappers on the baking sheets. Spoon a tablespoon of the pumpkin mixture in the center of each wrapper. Lightly brush around the edges of the filling of each wonton wrapper with the egg white. Place a remaining wonton wrapper on top of each of the wrappers with the pumpkin mixture, and use your fingers to press down around the filling. Trim the edges of each ravioli with a knife or pizza cutter to desired size, then press a fork down around the edges to seal. Lightly brush each ravioli with a small amount of virgin olive oil. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, depending on the texture you prefer (more baking time will leave a pleasant wonton crunch around the edges, less baking time will be more pasta-like ravioli). Serve the raviolis hot with marinara sauce and sage, if desired.
Nutritional Information (makes 28 raviolis; 1 serving = 4 raviolis): 204 calories, 10 g protein
Want more pumpkin? These recipes will help satisfy your taste buds:
Pumpkin Butter
Pumpkin Spiced Oatmeal
Pumpkin Hazelnut White Chocolate Biscotti
Southwestern Pumpkin Burgers
Pumpkin Sherbet
Pumpkin Butter
Pumpkin Spiced Oatmeal
Pumpkin Hazelnut White Chocolate Biscotti
Southwestern Pumpkin Burgers
Pumpkin Sherbet
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Photo credit: Kirsten Loza
