Nutritious Ways to Use Canned Pumpkin
Pumpkin is not only one of the most popular ingredients in the fall season, but it is also one of the most nutritious. This delicious, orange fruit, loaded with vitamins and minerals, contains vitamin E, fiber, vitamin C, potassium, folate, iron, and magnesium.
It is also low in saturated fat and cholesterol. If you want to stick to a healthy diet and incorporate pure canned pumpkin or pumpkin puree into some fall recipes, here are three great ideas.
1. Add Pumpkin to Your Smoothie
While often used for desserts that aren’t necessarily good for you, pumpkin can also be a delicious and nutritious part of breakfast. Pure canned pumpkin should be used so that it doesn’t have any added preservatives or sugars. There are a lot of recipes out there, but the primary basis of a pumpkin smoothie is canned pumpkin, yogurt, and milk or nut milk.
There are many options here, from non-fat Greek yogurt and unsweetened almond milk to regular cow’s milk and vanilla yogurt. You can then decide on the other ingredients, like blending up fruit, nuts, and seeds, or even adding pumpkin spices to your smoothie. Get creative and try some different combinations until you are happy with the results.
2. Make Your Own Yogurt Bowl
Smoothie bowls have been trendy lately, but you can go another direction by having a yogurt bowl. It is similar to a smoothie bowl, though often contains fewer ingredients and is creamier. You are not using the acai powder usually found in traditional smoothie bowls.
With a yogurt bowl, it is healthy, delicious, and effortless to make. Start with your favorite type of yogurt or Greek yogurt, and add in some pumpkin puree or pure canned pumpkin. Choose any fruits and nuts you want in the bowl, add all the ingredients to the blender, and grind it up. Pour it into a bowl and top it how you like.
3. Make Pumpkin Butter
Why not try a little pumpkin butter? If you enjoy peanut butter and almond butter, this is a terrific addition to the mix. You can make this from pumpkin seeds, but it’s easier to make it from the actual canned pumpkin or pumpkin puree. This makes it a little thicker and is wonderful to add to muffins, scones, and your morning toast.
Typically, the ingredients for pumpkin butter include your canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie spices, a little sugar (or sugar substitute), and some apple juice. Heat it over the stove to combine ingredients and set aside until it has thickened. Make sure you store it in the refrigerator to keep the pumpkin butter fresh.