Pumpkin-Inspired EVERYTHING

Hello everyone!! It's been quite awhile since I posted last. I have been working A LOT between my 3 jobs (hostess, beverage cart girl at a golf course and I'm still working at Mo Green Juice) and I haven't had a minute to myself. This week I have a few mornings to myself so I am catching up on sleep, blogging and working out.

School has started back up again, the leaves are beginning to change and fall, and my personal favorite....THERE IS PUMPKIN-FLAVORED EVERYTHING!! :) I absolutely LOVE pumpkin-flavored things: pies, muffins, coffee, cookies, cakes, smoothies..you name it, I love it. If you are skeptical or just don't like pumpkin, you are definitely missing out but I won't force my love for it on you.

In this blog post I will be informing you of the numerous health benefits of pumpkins as well as some pumpkin-inspired dishes you should definitely try out!

Health Benefits

• Very low calorie vegetable with no saturated fats or cholesterol
• Rich in dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, minerals and vitamins
• Usually recommended by nutritionists and dietitians in cholesterol-controlling and weight reduction programs
• Excellent source of Beta carotene, which are converted into vitamin A in the body and helps with eye sight and function
• Great for your skin via cartenoids

The list goes on and on, but I have just listed a few of the key benefits to get your mind rolling. Next I will be providing some recipes and ideas on how to use pumpkin for upcoming recipes!

Pumpkin Pie: Pumpkin pie is one of my absolute favorite pies so when Thanksgiving (my absolute favorite holiday) rolls around, I can't help but get excited!! Sometimes, this classic dessert can be quite costly when it comes to calories, but I found this recipe in Women's Health that has one slice of pie for only 210 calories! Click here to get the link and try out this new and improved pumpkin pie recipe that will surely impress your guests. 

Pumpkin Pancakes: I do love me some pancakes and since I expressed my love of pumpkin before, this recipe is right up my alley. This recipe I found online is actually a Gluten-free one, which I think is interesting and should be fun to try out one morning. Click here to get the link for these pumpkin-packed flapjacks!

Pumpkin-packed Pasta: You may not think that pumpkin and pasta pair well together, but you are sorely mistaken. Adding pumpkin to your pasta is a great way to get added vitamins and minerals without sacrificing flavor. I found this recipe online from an online magazine called Clean Eating. Click here to get the recipe and try it out for dinner one night, your kids, friends and family don't have to know what you put in there!

Pumpkin Seeds: There are a million and one ways to eat and cook pumpkin seeds; plain, with spices, roasted, baked and so on. Since they are so versatile, I found was browsing the Food Network website for some ideas and they have a list of different ways to prepare the seeds to get different flavors! Click here to get the link and explore all the different options!

Pumpkin Cheesecake: I do not have a sweet tooth I sware, but I do have a weakness for cheesecake and doughnuts. I have had pumpkin cheesecake before and it is OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD. Although cheesecake is pretty heavy in calories and fat, one slice won't kill you. I found this amazing recipe for Pumpkin cheesecake and I just had to share it with you! Click here to get this delicious recipe!

These are just a few different ideas to get more pumpkin (and vitamins and minerals) into your life! I found most of these pumpkin-inspired ideas via Skinnyms.com, so check it out if you are interested in looking for more!

ENJOY!!