It’s pumpkin time! Don’t you just love fall? While the season is a good one, it usually consists of a lot of food consumed and baked goods galore!
If you are trying to lose weight, continue a healthy lifestyle, or watch your diet, this season can be a tough one to stay on track!
You don’t have to say “no” to all the delicious pumpkin dishes, just make healthy delicious ones!
I have rounded up the best pumpkin dishes without the added guilt. They are all under 300 calories per serving!
These 10 healthy pumpkin recipes have been tested and approved. I made every single one in my kitchen and gave every single one a taste test (I’m now pumpkined out for once!). I also had them taste tested by my co-workers, my husband’s co-workers, and my husband himself (he doesn’t even like pumpkin and liked some of them!). There are definitely some yucky healthy pumpkin dish recipes out there, but I weeded out those nasty recipes and only included delicious ones here!
Get ready to enjoy some pumpkin and enjoy the season!
Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 1/8 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 egg whites (I use all liquid egg whites from a carton)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- A dash of ground cloves
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 9-inch pre-made pie crust (or make your own pie crust)
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and mix thoroughly.
- Pour mixture into pie crusts
- Bake at 425 degrees F. for 15 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and bake for 45 additional minutes.
- Cut the pie into 8 individual slices. You can enjoy it warm or chilled.
Nutrition (per slice):
- Calories: 74
- Fat: 1.3g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Sugars: 12g
- Protein: 2g
This recipe has been adapted from The Gracious Pantry
Pumpkin Pie Frozen Yogurt
Ingredients:
- 1 cup vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk or skim milk
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend.
- If you have an ice cream maker, churn blended ingredients for a few minutes until cold and creamy to desired consistency.
- If you don’t have an ice cream maker, put a bowl of blended ingredients in the freezer.
- Check on the consistency every 30 minutes until desired consistency is achieved (this is how I made it).
- Enjoy!
Recipe makes 4 servings, about 1/2 cup per serving.
Nutrition (per serving):
- Calories: 98
- Fat: .5g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Sugars: 14g
- Protein: 3g
This recipe was adapted from LaaLoosh
Pumpkin Squares
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg white
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk or skim milk
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine and mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Combine and mix wet ingredients in a different bowl.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix again.
- Spread into greased brownie pan and bake for 15 minutes.
- Cool, cut, and enjoy!
Recipe makes 16 small squares. I spread some powdered sugar on top to make them look pretty!
Nutrition (per square):
- Calories: 30.5
- Fat: .2g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Sugars: 2.5g
- Protein: 1g
This recipe was adapted from The Smart Cookie Blog
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
Ingredients:
Pumpkin Batter:
- 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg whites (I use all liquid egg whites from a carton)
- 1 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup sweetener (Stevia or other cup for cup preference.)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Cream Cheese Ribbon:
- 8 oz. fat free cream cheese
- 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp whole wheat flour
- 2 large egg whites
Instructions:
- Mix wet ingredients.
- Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients slowly.
- Mix ingredients for cream cheese ribbon with a mixer until creamy.
- In a greased bread loaf pan add 1/3 of pumpkin batter. Add a layer of cream cheese ribbon using 1/2 ingredients. Repeat.
- Add a final top layer of bread batter.
- Sprinkle the top with cinnamon.
- Bake 45 mins at 350 degrees F
Recipe makes about 8 servings/slices. You can leave out the cream cheese ribbon for an even healthier version.
Nutrition (per slice):
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 1.5
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Sugars: 17g
- Protein: 11g
This recipe was adapted from The Skinny Fork
Pumpkin Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil
- 1 cup + 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two cookie sheets with coconut oil spray (or other if unavailable).
- In a large bowl, use a mixer to combine coconut oil and brown sugar. Add in pumpkin and vanilla extract and mix well.
- In another bowl, combine flour, oats, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and baking soda with whisk.
- Mix the flour mixture into the coconut oil mixture a little at a time until all the flour is incorporated.
- Add in the chocolate chips and mix.
- Drop by small spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. The recipe should make 28 cookies total, 14 on each baking sheet. Bake for 14-17 minutes or until slightly browned around the edges. (if your oven does not accommodate two baking sheets at once, keep the dough cooled in fridge before cooking the second sheet).
Nutrition (per cookie):
- Calories: 136
- Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Protein: 1.4g
This recipe was adapted from Cooking Classy and Fit Life Pursuits
Pumpkin Pie Dip
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup vanilla greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 4 oz Cool Whip
Instructions:
- Whisk yogurt with sugar and pumpkin until combined. Add in seasonings.
- Fold in Cool Whip and refrigerate dip for at least one hour. Serve cold with apple slices, cinnamon pita chips, ginger snaps, graham crackers, or create your own dipper! (I did not make the cinnamon pita chips pictured. I bought them in a bag from Trader Joes).
Recipe makes 8 servings
Nutrition (per serving):
- Calories: 103
- Fat: 2.5g
- Carbohydrates: 17.5g
- Sugars: 15g
- Protein: 2.5g
This recipe was adapted from Shugary Sweets
Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond or skim milk
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder or pumpkin spice shakeology
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions:
- Blend all ingredients together for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve immediately and enjoy. Makes 1 serving.
Nutrition (when using vanilla or pumpkin spice Shakeology):
- Calories: 293
- Fat: 3.8g
- Carbohydrates: 51g
- Sugars: 25g
- Protein: 20g
Recipe adapted from Shakeology
Pumpkin Butter
Ingredients:
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup raw honey
- 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Combine the pumpkin, honey, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over low to medium heat. Mix well.
- Stir continuously for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the spices and salt and continue stirring for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and transfer to small bowl or jar.
- Let cool completely before refrigerating.
- Serve on a whole wheat english muffin or rice cake.
Recipe makes about 2 cups.
Nutrition (per serving, approximately 2 Tbsp):
- Calories: 47
- Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Sugars: 1.7g
- Protein: .5g
Recipe adapted from Danica’s Daily
Pumpkin Mac ‘n Cheese
Ingredients:
- 1 box (13.25 oz) whole grain penne pasta
- 4 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk or skim milk
- salt/pepper to taste
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino cheese
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 egg yolks
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray large baking dish with cooking spray.
- Boil salted water in a large pot. When water comes to a boil, add pasta.
- Cook according to directions on box. Drain; set aside.
- To make sauce, in 2-quart heavy saucepan, melt coconut oil over medium heat.
- Add flour. Using whisk, stir until blended.
- Add milk; cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in nutmeg and season with salt.
- Reduce heat to low continue cooking until mixture thickens.
- Stir cheese, pumpkin and egg yolks into sauce until combined. Add cooked pasta. Stir to combine.
- Pour mixture into dish.
- Bake approximately 15 to 20 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Recipe makes about 8 servings.
Nutrition (per serving):
- Calories: 264
- Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Sugars: 1.9g
- Protein: 7.7g
Recipe adapted from Bell’alimento
Pumpkin Pie Granola
Ingredients:
- 4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup sugar or sweetener of choice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- Optional additions: marshmallows, chocolate chips, raisins etc.
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet ingredients in another.
- Mix the wet ingredients into the dry using a spatula until everything is well combined and oats are coated with wet ingredients.
- Spread ingredients on baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
- Stir around granola on baking sheet and separate any big chunks. Bake for another 30 minutes or until browned and crispy.
- Let cool completely on baking sheet before mixing with optional additions.
You can eat this granola as a snack or add some milk or yogurt!
Nutrition (per serving, approximately 1/2 cup):
- Calories: 250
- Fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Sugars: 1g
- Protein: 9g
Recipe adapted from Dashing Dish
Is pumpkin a fruit or a vegetable? First person to comment the correct answer below wins!
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