Wellness Wednesday Pumpkin Recipes Edition!

10.4.2023

Wellness with Megan will be opening a little later this month, but I wanted to go ahead and share some delicious & nutritious recipes as we kick off my favorite season and what better way than to do a Wellness Wednesday... Think recipe sharing but add a sprinkle of nutrition education in there ;) Stay tuned early next week for details on 1-1 coaching package options, exciting new PDF guides, health/wellness tools, as well as the official "go-live" date. I'm SO excited to help you achieve your goals and feel your absolute best!

Fall is officially HERE and with the new season comes a whole variety of fruits and vegetables. One of the most popular vegetables this time of year is PUMPKIN. Pumpkin is incredibly nutritious and loaded with vitamins A, B, and E and many other important compounds including copper, iron, folate, phosphorous and magnesium. One cup of pumpkin contains only 30 calories making it a low calorie yet filling choice for your health/weight loss goals. Pumpkin has several health benefits such as the ability to reduce free radicals in the body, improve vision, protect cardiovascular health, boost immunity, increase fertility, improve bone mineral density, and aid weight loss. Here are some of my favorite pumpkin recipes for you to incorporate in your wellness regimen this season:

Pumpkin Marinara Sauce *Perfect for Zoodles or Spaghetti Squash Noodles* (approximately 4-6 servings)

7oz organic canned pumpkin 7oz tomatoes or tomato puree (no salt added) 3.5oz sweet onion 5 cloves freshly chopped garlic 3 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tsp sea salt 1/2 tbsp each: thyme, oregano, basil and parsley Directions: 1. Add pumpkin, tomatoes, onion, garlic and seasonings to a pot simmer for about 10-12 minutes stirring occasionally. 2. Allow to cool slightly then use emulsion blender to blend to desired texture (can also use food processor). 3. Serve with your Spaghetti Squash or Zucchini Noodles and protein of choice

Pumpkin Protein Shake (Yields 1 serving)

Ingredients ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp stevia or monk fruit 2 tsp vanilla extract 3.5 oz pure pumpkin puree (canned brands BPA-free: Farmers Market, Pacific Organic, Nummy Tum Tum) 1 scoop vanilla plant protein (Sun Warrior vanilla bean is my personal favorite) 1 cup unsweetened almond milk pinch sea salt 4-5 ice cubes Directions Blend ingredients together and serve immediately! 😊

Pumpkin Turkey Chili (Yields 8 servings)

Ingredients 1 Tbs olive oil ½ cup chopped sweet onion ½ cup chopped red bell pepper ½ cup chopped yellow bell pepper 4-5 cloves garlic, minced 1 can low sodium organic three bean blend (kidney, pinto, black beans) 32 oz. lean ground turkey 14 or 15oz canned no salt added diced roma tomatoes 28oz can crushed no salt added tomatoes 3 TBS tomato paste 7 oz. pumpkin, cut into small cubes 3 Tablespoons chili powder 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp red pepper flakes 1 jalepeno sliced (for garnish)* optional

Directions 1. Heat water or vegetable broth in a large skillet over medium heat, and sauté the onion, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and garlic until tender. 2. Stir in the turkey, and cook until evenly brown. 3. Transfer to larger pot on stove add in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and pumpkin. Season with chili powder, black and red pepper, and sea salt. 4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20-30 minutes

Pumpkin Pie Custard (Yields 2 Servings) *Best Served Cold*

Ingredients: 4 oz organic canned pumpkin puree ¼ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 2 beaten eggs ¼ tsp salt 1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla extract 1 tsp pumpkin spice 1 tsp stevia 1 tsp monk fruit brown sugar Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; get 2 ramekin/custard cups 2. In large bowl, mix together pumpkin, almond milk, egg, spices, stevia and monk fruit brown sugar 3. Bake for ~30 min or until a knife in center comes out clean 4. Let cool down, then chill in refrigerator