It's finally starting to feel like fall here in Athens. The leaves are changing colors, the nights are cooling off, and of course pumpkins are everywhere. It's still a little too early to carve pumpkins for Halloween, so the kids and I decided to get in the fall spirit by incorporating other forms of pumpkin in our lives!
Porter's Favorite Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 cup pure pumpkin (you can use canned organic pumpkin)
- 1/3 cup Coconut Oil (melted)
- 1/3 low-fat plain yogurt (2% organic greek yogurt or try pure coconut milk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 & ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8 1/2″ by 4 1/2″ metal loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray & sprinkle with flour.
- In large bowl, with wire whisk, combine brown sugar and egg whites. Add pumpkin, oil, yogurt, and vanilla extract; stir to combine.
- In medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture; stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert pumpkin bread onto wire rack; cool completely.
Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie
(Makes 1 serving) Ingredients
- 1 cup Almond Milk
- 1/2 cup pumpkin (I used pureed, canned, organic)
- 1 serving Vanilla Protien Powder
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 TBSP Ground flax seed
- 1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie spice (no sugar added)(nutmeg, ginger)
- 1 tsp + Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- Crushed ice to fill - (you can also throw in a few small carrots for extra veggies!
Directions
- Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend till smooth.
- Pour it into a pretty glass, top with cinnamon, coconut & enjoy
Pumpkin Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 2 lb. 99% lean ground turkey breast
- 3 15 oz. cans of great northern beans, or kidney beans
- 1 15 oz. cans of pumpkin puree
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ Tbsp Chili powder
- 1 Tbsp..Cumin
- 1 Tsp. Oregano
- 2 tsp. black pepper
- 2-3 cups of low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- Salt to taste
Directions
- Spray a large frying pan with oil, and over medium, cook the turkey, onion, and garlic for about 4-5 minutes or until mostly white
- Pour into large pot or crock pot the beans, pumpkin, peppers, spices and broth.
- Mix in the pot and let simmer or crockpot and set on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Garnish with avocado, greek yogurt, cilantro, and salsa! Enjoy!
"I am Thankful" Pumpkin Craft
Materials
- orange and green construction paper
- staples or brads
- scissors
Directions
- Cut out 8 pieces of orange contraction paper into 1 inch strips. You will also need to cut out 2 leaves and 2 skinny strips of green contraction paper for the vines
- Have the kids write something they are thankful for on each strip of orange construction paper. Be sure to leave about a 1 inch space on the sides of the strip so the writing isn't covered up when stapled together
- Use a stapler or brads to attach the orange strips at the top and then at the bottom to form a pumpkin.
- Add your leaves and green vines. I rolled up the green construction in a paper to help curl the vines.
We are also thinking about heading out to a pumpkin patch or corn maze soon while the weather is so nice. Being active as a family is a great way to stay healthy, and for us to spend some time together. Plus it gives the little people a perfect opportunity to pick out their favorite pumpkins and to tire themselves out a bit on a hayride or in the corn maze.
There are two farms nearby that offer these fun activities: Washington Farms and Athens Corn Maze. Pick the one closest to you and take your kids on an adventure this fall!
Blessings,
Caroline
