Photo courtesy of @SeeDJan/Twenty20
Autumn is here. The leaves are falling, the night air feels crisp, and pumpkin spice has invaded the grocery store shelves. Just as I bid farewell to the warm summer nights with a tug at my oversized sweater, I am simultaneously ecstatic as I can welcome pumpkin back into my life after nine long months of hibernation.
Adding pumpkin to my morning routine has been my fall staple before “PSL” was a thing. It sometimes gets a bad rep but, hear me out, not only does it delight the taste buds, it also adds tons of health benefits into your life. Follow along for two of my favorite recipes that add some seasonal spice into an otherwise mundane morning routine.
Photo courtesy of @thayra/Twenty20
But first, benefits
High in fiber and rich in vitamins and minerals, pumpkin can help keep you fuller longer. Pumpkin is also known to be a relatively low-calorie food, containing about 94 percent water, adding superpower nutrients without making you feel “stuffed”.
Kick up your pumpkin benefits with the seasonal squash’s BFF — aromatic pumpkin spice. Typically a mix of cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg, pumpkin spice in any pumpkin dish adds healthy ingredients that are known to help lower blood sugar, reduce the risk for heart disease, and add anti-inflammatory properties.
Now, that’s a lot of information to process but here’s the thing, it tastes sooo good. To get you started here are a few of my favorite ways to add in pumpkin to my morning this fall. These won’t take more than a minute and will have you dancing in the fall leaves.
Pumpkin Oatmeal
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup almond, oat, hemp, rice, or dairy milk)
- 1 medium banana, cut into 1‑inch cubes
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup pumpkin purée
- ½ tsp pumpkin spice
- Optional Toppings: peanut butter, hemp seeds, cacao nibs, chia seeds, almond slivers, coconut flakes
Directions: Heat water and milk to boiling. Once boiling add in oats, pumpkin, and banana. Stir mixture and bring back to a boil. Once boiled reduce heat to low. Cover oat mixture and simmer for approx 5 minutes or until oats have seeped in liquid. Turn heat off and add in spices. Mix evenly and put oats into a bowl. Top with your favorite toppings, smile and enjoy! 😊
Pumpkin Spice Smoothie
- 1 cup almond, oat, hemp, rice or dairy Milk
- 1 frozen banana, cut into 1‑inch cubes
- 2 tbsp nut butter (peanut, almond, sunflower are great!)
- ⅔ cups pumpkin purée
- ½ tsp pumpkin spice
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ½ cup ice cubes
- Optional Additions: 2 tbs hemp seeds, 1 scoop protein powder, a handful of spinach
Directions: Add all ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth. Smile and enjoy! 😊
Articles from The Natural should not be considered medical advice. If you have any questions about your health, please consult a medical professional.