All Pumpkin Everything! 3 Pumpkin Recipes That Are Actually Good For You

Scrolling through my Twitter feed last Friday morning while taking a bite out of my pumpkin muffin, I could tell that fall season was officially among us.

While most of the pumpkin treats you’ll see this year are fattening and loaded with sugar, these pumpkin recipes are actually quite healthy. Enjoy and happy fall!

1. Pumpkin Butter
Makes 30 servings; serving size: 2 tbsp

What you’ll need:

• 3 1/2 cups pumpkin puree, or 1 (29 ounce) can (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup apple cider or juice
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2-3 cinnamon sticks
• 1-2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (to taste)

What you need to do:

“Combine pureed pumpkin, vanilla, apple juice, spices, cinnamon sticks and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 – 40 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently. Adjust spices to your taste. Makes 3 3/4 cups.”

[Recipe originally appeared on Gina’s Skinny Recipes].

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2. Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie

Prep time: 5 minutes; makes 16 ounces

What you’ll need:

• 1/2 banana, frozen
• 6 ice cubes
• 1 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (Sunwarrior)
• 1 tbsp. chia seeds
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

What you need to do:

“Place your frozen banana and ice in a blender and pulse until crushed. Add the remaining ingredients and liquefy until smooth.”

[Recipe originally appeared on Clean Eating Chelsey].

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3. Gluten-Free Pumpkin and Coconut Squares

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups of Erewhon Gluten Free Crispy Brown Rice Cereal
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• Powdered sugar (garnish)

What you need to do:

“Blend honey, pumpkin and coconut oil until smooth. Add rice cereal, raisins and spice. Grease 8 X 8 pan. Cook on 350 for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.”

[Recipe originally appeared on Healthy Baby Beans].

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