It’s Time for Pumpkin Everything!

It’s still in the 90’s here at the beach and I’m still wandering around barefoot, but my social media has gone crazy for FALL and with that, pumpkin EVERYTHING! It seems that every fall there’s more and more products featuring pumpkin, and everyone, just literally, eats it up!

Fortunately, when products contain actual pumpkin (not just those flavorful spices) is really can boost our nutrition! Pumpkin offers many health benefits and is very versatile when meal planning. It can be used in baked goods, soups, sauces, pies, and even pancakes and waffles. While some fabulous kitchen lovers may find it a joy to pick a fresh pumpkin and do the scooping and cleaning for fresh pumpkin puree for their recipe needs, canned puree is readily available for the rest of us in the grocery store.

Now-Is pumpkin a vegetable or fruit??? Although it comes from the squash family, pumpkin is biologically considered a fruit! It has incredible health benefits that liken it to a vegetable however. One 50 calorie cup of pumpkin has almost two and a half times the amount of vitamin A our body needs in one day! It also contains Fiber, vitamin C, potassium, vitamins B2 and E, and even iron. Pumpkin seeds offer even more nutrition like protein, vitamin K, magnesium, and even more iron! Pumpkin is considered a superfood because of its high levels of antioxidants that help reduce the risk of diseases like cancer and heart disease. The huge amount of vitamin A, and vitamin C in pumpkin can help boost the immune system and fight off illness and infection. Pumpkin also helps with better eyesight, healthier eyes, and even better skin!

 As we move into fall and “pumpkin season” it’s important to point out-many of the pumpkin flavored treats we get so excited to partake of do not actually contain real pumpkin:( They also usually contain large amounts of sugar, fat, and empty calories, so be sure to keep that in mind as you treat yourself. For a yummy and super healthy pumpkin treat at home, try these muffins made with almond flour and canned pumpkin. The almond flour adds a super boost of nutrients like protein and vitamin E while adding a sweeter, moister, nuttier taste. Be sure to use canned pumpkin-not pumpkin pie filling!! Enjoy!! Happy Fall!

Yield: 12

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Pumpkin Muffins (with almond flour)

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Ingredients

In Large Bowl (MIX)

• 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda

In Small Bowl (MIX)

• 4 large eggs
• ¾ cup canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 F
2. Line muffin tins with cupcake papers
3. Mix dry ingredients in large bowl, wet ingredients in small bowl. Fold wet ingredients into dry, stir until combined. (you can mix in nuts, dried berries or raisins for an added treat ~add ½ cup if desired)
4. Pour evenly into muffin tin and bake for 20-22 minutes until evenly cooked through. Cool, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

133

Fat

8 g

Carbs

11 g

Protein

5 g

(nutritional info not including any add ins like nuts)