Mealtime Magic: Unique Pumpkin Recipes

As soon as the temp drops below 70 degrees, you can count on everything pumpkin flavored, from M&M’s to bagels. To help satisfy your fall cravings, Guiding Stars’ registered dietitians have created a list of 7 recipes to eat pumpkin this season.

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

Number of Servings: 1 (517 G) Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. quick cooking oats
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 c. pumpkin puree
• 1 T. ground flaxseed
• 1 c. skim milk, warm
• Dash cinnamon
• Dash nutmeg
• Dash ginger
• Dash cloves
• Dash allspice

Directions

1. Combine oats and water and microwave. Under cook so that it remains watery.
2. Scoop oatmeal into blender. Add pumpkin, spices, ground flax and milk. Blend on low for a few seconds and then high until well blended. Thin with additional skim milk if needed. Sweeten with a drizzle of pure maple syrup or Stevia if desired.

Pumpkin Irish Oatmeal

Number of Servings: 4 Servings (407 G) Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups steel cut oats
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons date puree
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 cups skim milk
• 2 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in an oven-proof lidded pan. Stir in the oats and fry them, stirring frequently until they smell toasted.
2. Push the oats to the side and add remaining oil. Add in the pumpkin. Fry it in the oil, only stirring after about a minute. Stir in the sugar and spices and continue frying the puree until the color darkens slightly and the raw smell disappears.
3. Pour in the milk and whisk everything to combine. Whisk in the water, vanilla and salt. Put a lid on the pan and put it in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes. Stir and allow oatmeal to sit for a few minutes to thicken and cool before serving.

Pumpkin Popovers

Number of Servings: 12 (119 G) Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• ¼ cup pumpkin puree
• 3 eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 2 cups skim milk
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 2 cups flour
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• ⅛ tsp. cayenne

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF, placing a 12-cup muffin pan on a baking sheet in the oven to heat with the oven.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, egg whites, milk, and oil until smooth.
3. Combine flour, salt, pie spice, and cayenne in a large bowl. Whisk the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients until smooth.
4. Remove the muffin pan from the oven and coat it with cooking spray. Divide the batter among the prepared cups. Bake the popovers until they are puffed and browned (25-30 minutes).
5. Remove the popovers from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF. With a small knife, cut small slits into the sides of the popovers, 3 or 4 per popover. Bake until fully cooked (7-10 minutes).

Pumpkin Bites

Number of Servings: 25 (26 G) Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 c. dates, chopped
• 1/4 c. pumpkin puree
• 1 T. chia seeds
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t. ground ginger
• 1/4 t. ground nutmeg
• 1/8 t. salt
• 1 c. old-fashioned oats
• 1 c. unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted
• 1 c. pumpkin seeds, toasted

Directions

1. Combine the dates, pumpkin puree, chia seeds, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth.
2. Stir in the oats, coconut flakes and pumpkin seeds. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
3. Shape spoonfuls of the mixture into 1” balls. Store in the refrigerator.

Soft Pumpkin Bars

Number of Servings: 12 (85 G) Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp. cloves
• ⅛ tsp. allspice
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. ginger
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¼ cups almond milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• ¾ cup pumpkin seeds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Spray a bread pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Whisk together all dry ingredients, except pumpkin seeds.
3. Gently stir in wet ingredients. Fold in pumpkin seeds.
4. Spread evenly in loaf pan. Bake until the top is set and nicely browned, 40-45 minutes.
5. Cool completely before slicing into bars. Wrap individually and store in either the fridge of the freezer for the longest shelf life.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Number of Servings: 15 (42 G) Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 2 hours 30 Minutes

Ingredients

• 6 dates
• 1 cup instant oats
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. ginger
• 1½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• ¾ cup pumpkin purée
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp. dark chocolate chips

Directions

1. Soak dates in enough warm water to cover for at least 1 hour. Purée with just enough of the water to achieve a smooth paste.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F.
3. Stir together oats, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, pumpkin purée, and vanilla. Stir in the puréed dates.
5. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto a baking sheet. Bake until springy to the touch (12-15 minutes). Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely (1 hour).

Pumpkin & White Bean Alfredo

Number of Servings: 8 (211 G) Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients

• 8 oz. fettucine, cooked
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 ½ cups skim milk
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• 1 (15 oz.) can no-salt-added white beans
• 1 bunch kale, chopped

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until soft.
2. Stir in the pumpkin and milk. Simmer until slightly thickened. Stir in the cheese and nutmeg.
3. When cheese is melted in, stir in the beans and kale and simmer until warm.
4. Toss the pasta in the sauce and serve hot.

Pumped-Up Pumpkin Bread

Number of Servings: 36 (61 G) Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 10 Minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups white whole wheat flour
• ½ cup soy flour
• ¼ cup flax meal
• ½ cup wheat bran
• 4 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• ½ tsp. cloves
• ½ tsp. ginger
• 1½ cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 egg white
• ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 (15 oz.) cans pumpkin
• ½ tsp. salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl combine the wheat flour, soy flour, flax meal, wheat bran, baking soda, and spices. Mix until combined.
2. In a separate bowl, beat together the sugar and all eggs until the sugar is dissolved, then mix in the pumpkin, applesauce, oil, and salt.
3. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until well combined.
4. Divide batter among three greased 8″x4” bread pans, smooth the tops, and bake at 350ºF until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (50-60 minutes).

To make cookies: Spoon onto a cookie sheet by the tablespoon and bake at 350ºF until they spring back to the touch (10-15 minutes).

To make muffins: Fill muffin cups ⅔ full and bake at 350ºF until a toothpick inserted into the middle should comes out clean (20-30 minutes).