We tend to consume Pumpkin and our other favorite Fall flavors in the form of high-calorie desserts, processed snack foods, and high-carb dishes. BUT...there are a lot of smart and healthy ways to enjoy your favorite fall flavors without falling away from your weight-loss goals.
USE CINNAMON TO SPICE THINGS UP
Cinnamon has so many benefits, from regulating your blood sugar, to it's anti-inflammatory properties, to helping you cut back on the added sugars when cooking and baking your holiday treats.
Sprinkle it on your coffee, oatmeal, toast, or use sticks of cinnamon to brew your own tea. Try delicious and healthy recipes like an apple crisp or baked apple slices. These kinds of recipes will usually use cinnamon and other Fall flavors like maple syrup, walnuts, oats, and sliced apples. Dig in and don't feel guilty!
GET APPLE CRAZY
Apples can make pretty much any snack or meal nutritious and delicious. One medium apple contains about 14 percent of your Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Vitamin C, and over 4 grams of fiber, which helps you stay full longer.
Use them to spice up your oatmeal (try this Apple Cinnamon Protein Oatmeal Recipe), or salads, or chop and cook them in a bit of water, cinnamon, and lemon to puree into homemade applesauce (try this Healthy Homemade Applesauce Recipe), you can whip up a nutritious apple pie smoothie, or bake them into apple chips (like this Apple Chip recipe here).
GET CREATIVE WITH PUMPKIN
Even though I'm a fan of Pumpkin Spice Lattes, places like Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, McDonald's, and anywhere else are overloaded with processed sugars. They're great for a treat once in awhile but if you really need to crush that pumpkin spice craving...try healthier versions at home. Anything made at a restaurant, can be made even healthier at home!
Pumpkin is full of nutritional value - fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium. It's also low in calories. There's only 30 calories in 1 cup of cubed pumpkin. It makes an ideal baking substitute for butter, or a base ingredient for recipes like chili.
For a healthy alternative in pastry recipes, use more pumpkin puree than sugar for its sweet flavor.
Swirl a scoop of pumpkin puree into your oatmeal, in soup, add to curry (try this Vegetarian Pumpkin Curry Recipe), or stir into pancake batter. You can even blend it in a smoothie with a dash of nutmeg and vanilla bean.
Pumpkin seeds are another easy and healthy way to get your pumpkin fix. Pass on buying store-bought pumpkin seeds and roast them yourself at home (try this Spiced Toasted Seeds recipe). Rinse and dry the seeds, place them on a baking sheet with olive oil, salt, pepper, and your favorite toppings, like Parmesan cheese, paprika, or chili powder. Sprinkle the seeds onto salads, hummus (try this Healthy Pumpkin Hummus Recipe), or avocado toast (here's a great recipe for Pumpkin Seed Avocado Toast).
BRING ON THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Not an ingredient you hear people using a lot, but it's another Fall food rich in fiber, and more importantly, vitamins and minerals like calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin A. It's packed with immune-supportive vitamins, which is great for the cold and flu season.
If you're looking for a low calorie breakfast idea, scramble egg whites, tomatoes, peppers, and butternut squash, then add your favorite seasonings and herbs.
For a light dish, put together a roasted butternut squash salad, alongside your choice of protein. Or use it as a seasonal topping for a bed of spinach or kale.
Want that cozy comfort meal? Try a butternut squash macaroni and cheese.
For a flavorful, healthy soup, whip up some butternut squash soup! Try this soup recipe under 200 calories: Healthy Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger.
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