Tag Archives: pumpkin

Pumpkin Smoothie

14 Wednesday Nov 2012

Posted by in General, Recipes

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on November 14, 2012
 
 
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)
  • 3 TBSP canned pumpkin
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 TBSP peanut butter (or any nut butter will do)
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 2 TBSP ground flax seeds
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • a sprinkle of nutmeg
  • a sprinkle of all spice
  • a few ice cubes (depends on how thick you like it)
Instructions:
  1. Add all ingredients to electric mixer.
  2. Blend for about 2 minutes.
  3. Enjoy!
* This is not a very sweet smoothie; I think many pumpkin drinks are too sweet for me. If you would like yours sweeter, add maple syrup or agave nectar.

♥ ♥

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Savory Pumpkin Pinwheels

01 Thursday Nov 2012

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on October 31, 2012

Ingredients:

  • 6 lasagna noodles
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 15 oz can of unsweetened pumpkin
  • 1 tsp curry
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp chili powder
  • ¼ tsp cumin
  • 15 oz can coconut milk
  • 2 TBSP butter
  • 2 TBSP flour
  • ¼ tsp fresh ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup pecorino Romano cheese, grated (any hard cheese that has a salty taste should work)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking pan (8” square will work).
  2. Cook lasagna noodles according directions on package.
  3. Set noodles aside to cool, keep separate because they will stick together.
  4. In a mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, curry, salt, chili powder and cumin and set aside.
  5. In a saucepan, melt butter. Once butter is melted, add flour and combine and cook for a few minutes. Then whisk in coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Cook for 7-8 minutes until thickened. Add nutmeg, combine and set aside.
  6. Assemble pinwheels by laying noodles on a cutting board. First spread a layer of the pumpkin mixture and stop 1 inch from the end of the noodle. In the middle of pumpkin, spoon a line of ricotta cheese. Gently roll the noodle away from you and place seam side down in the baking pan. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
  7. Pour coconut milk sauce over prepared noodles and sprinkle with grated cheese.
  8. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
  9. Enjoy!

♥ ♥

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Recipe Swap Blog Party – Denise’s Pumpkin Spice Latte

20 Saturday Oct 2012

Posted by in General, Recipes

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Posted by Jennifer (the RD) on October 20, 2012

This recipe is from Jennifer’s (the RD) sister Denise and it her own creation. She was tired of having to run to Starbucks all the time, now she can have one anytime she likes. Denise often whips up these lattes for the family.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

 Ingredients

  • 1 cup nonfat organic milk
  • ¼ cup canned pumpkin
  • ½ t. pumpkin pie spice (my personal blend is below)
  • 1 T. agave
  • 1 shot of espresso (additional shot optional)
  • Optional shot of whipped cream

 Instructions

1. Mix pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and agave in a very large mug or 2 cup measuring glass.

2. Mix in milk, and microwave for 90 seconds.

3. Add one shot of espresso and whisk. Top with whipped cream (optional).

My Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe

Combine:

  • About 1 T. + 1 t. cinnamon
  • 1 t. ground ginger
  • 1 t. freshly grated nutmeg
  • ½ t. ground allspice
  • ½ t. ground cloves

♥ ♥

Chef In Training

The Health Benefits of Pumpkins

28 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by in General, Healthy Inspirations

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on September 28, 2012

 

Fall is my favorite season and it always means pumpkin season to me. Pumpkins are in the gourd family and they have less starch and less sugar than other squashes. Pumpkin are chocked full of vitamins and minerals and they are low in calorie, low in fat and high in fiber.

Pumpkins bright orange flesh is a dead give away that they are full of beta-carotene. In addition, they are a good source of vitamin C, K and E and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc.

Benefits:

  • Promotes healthy skin with vitamins A, C and E.
  • Boosts immune system with Vitamin C and Zinc.
  • Promotes strong bones with potassium.
  • Reduces the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease with vitamin C and potassium.
  • Reduces bad cholesterol levels with fiber.
  • Promotes healthy digestion and aids in weight loss.
  • Controls blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
  • Promotes vision health with carotenoids and lutein.

Pumpkins are so versatile; they can be used in both savory and sweet dishes. Both fresh and canned offer so many health benefits, plus they are delicious and easy to prepare. Of course, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread and pumpkin lattes are tasty and traditional for the season. Also try adding pumpkin to healthy dishes like oatmeal, protein smoothies or just roasted. One of my favorite pumpkin dishes is turkey pumpkin chili. Experiment with pumpkin and you might just find a new favorite.

♥ ♥

Benefits of Pumpkin

01 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in General, Healthy Inspirations

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Posted by Jennifer (the RD) on June 1, 2012

Last week, my dog Kasper, that I truly believe has an eating disorder ate almost an entire loaf of whole wheat bread.  He was so sick that he had  to get a pain injection,  x-rays twice, and was on Reglan and antibiotics.  He was in such pain that he could hardly move.  He is just shy of 16 lbs. so you can imagine what a whole loaf of bread felt like in his gut!  Luckily, he was able to pass most of the bread, but became extremely constipated.  Because my dog is a repeat offender, I knew the drill.  Give him lots of pumpkin since it is a natural laxative!  So, I was thinking that my blog entry would be about the benefits of pumpkin.  Here you go:

  • Pumpkin is low in calories, but very nutrient dense
  • It is full of antioxidants
  • It is packed full of vitamin A
  • And of course, we know that it is full of fiber!

Most people think of pumpkin being used in pumpkin pie, but it can also be used in soups, stews, pancakes, etc.  Pumpkin seeds are always yummy too!

 ♥ ♥