17 Pumpkin Recipes!

How to choose a pumpkin
Look for small, round pumpkins in the produce section marked “pie pumpkins” or “sugar pumpkins.” It’s OK if they have blemishes, but pass on any that has bruises or soft spots. Smaller pumpkins are the best kind for cooking. Avoid the larger type that you might choose for carving jack-o-lanterns, which have stringy, watery flesh and very little flavor. If you can’t find a proper pumpkin for cooking, you can substitute any other type of winter squash or even sweet potato in these recipes.

How to roast pumpkins
Canned pumpkin puree makes it easy to add pumpkin flavor to your meals. Look for puree with no added spices. Add leftover puree to your Shakeology, as in the first recipe below, stir it into oatmeal, or freeze it in ice cube trays for later use. If you want to put in a little extra effort, and it’s worth it, you can easily make your own flavorful roasted pumpkin puree. Carefully cut your pumpkin in half with a large knife scoop out the seeds and pulp (save the seeds for roasting!), drizzle with 1/2 tsp of olive oil, season with salt and pepper if desired, and roast on a baking sheet in the oven at 350° for 35-45 minutes, or until the inside is easily pierced with a fork. To make purée, simply put roasted pumpkin in a blender or food processor and blend, adding a little liquid if needed to get a smooth texture.

We’ve created 17 different pumpkin recipes for you to try, but don’t stop there! Once you’ve tried these recipes, we think you’ll want to experiment with using pumpkin in all sorts of dishes. What are your favorite ways to cook with pumpkin? Tell us in the comments!

Pumpkin Pie Shakeology
Make your Shakeology taste just like pumpkin pie! This healthy smoothie has a full serving of pumpkin, and tons of fiber to keep you satisfied for hours. Get the recipe.

Pumpkin Muffins
One of our Social Media Strategists, Amanda Meixner, came up with this delicious, high-protein recipe for healthy pumpkin protein muffins that are just perfect for Fall. Let us know what you think! Get the recipe.

Pumpkin Spice Latte
This pumpkin spice latte has half the calories of your favorite fall treat from the coffee store chain. Get the recipe.

Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Lentils and Goat Cheese
This hearty salad topped with lentils and fresh pumpkin is perfect for fall and winter months. In other seasons, replace pumpkin with sweet potato! Get the recipe.

Pumpkin Brown Rice Risotto

Risotto is comfort food, pure and simple, but it can be loaded with high-fat ingredients. That’s why we created this delicious, lighter version with pumpkin, sage, and brown rice. Get the recipe.

Vegetarian Pumpkin Curry
Don’t be intimidated by making your own curry! Our recipe makes it easy to prepare and oh-so delicious. This simple dish of pumpkin, bell peppers and fragrant fresh basil and coconut milk is ready in just 25 minutes. Get the recipe.

Pumpkin Chili
Pumpkin is the star of this belly-warming vegetarian chili that has only 96 calories per serving! Get the recipe.

Chicken Baked with Pumpkin
This casserole with savory bites of lean chicken breast, pumpkin, and fresh herbs has a whopping 25 grams of protein per serving and only 182 calories. Get the recipe.

Pumpkin Quesadilla
This is not your average quesadilla! It is stuffed with pepper jack cheese and spiced pumpkin puree and topped with all the trimmings. All for only 269 calories per serving. Get the recipe.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
For a crunchy, salty snack, try these pumpkin seeds! Get the recipe.

Pumpkin Pizza
Create this beautiful gourmet pie for your next family pizza night and listen to the oohs and ahhs! Making fresh roasted pumpkin puree is totally worth the effort, but canned puree tastes great too! Get the recipe.

Cauliflower Pumpkin Au Gratin 
This combination of cauliflower and pumpkin sauce has all the comfort of a creamy casserole without the fat. Get the recipe.

Roasted Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, and Brown Rice Pilaf
This colorful side dish packed with vegetables is hearty enough to be your main course! Get the recipe.

Paleo-Friendly Pumpkin Bread
Warning: the scent of this paleo-friendly pumpkin bread wafting from your kitchen will make family and neighbors come running for a slice. Get the recipe.

Pumpkin Coconut Custards
Step into fall with these pumpkin custards made with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a touch of coconut extract. Get the recipe.

Pumpkin Cookies
Bake a batch of these yummy pumpkin oatmeal cookies with raisins and pecans. Only 103 calories for two! Get the recipe.

Peanut Butter Shakeology Cups
Peanut butter and chocolate combine in a healthy version of this classic candy made with Shakeology. Get the recipe.

Black Bean Chili Recipe

It's National Vegetarian Day! To celebrate, I'm sharing a Black Bean Chili recipe! Also 21 Day Fix friendly, this would count as 1 red, 1 green, and 1 orange per serving!

This hearty chili is great for dinner and reheats wonderfully for lunch.

Total Time: 29 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 19 min.
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth
4 oz. all-natural tomato paste
1 (4-oz.) can diced green chiles (with liquid)
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. chile powder
1 (16-oz.) can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 (16-oz.) can cannellini (white) beans, drained, rinsed

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender.
3. Add broth, tomato paste, chiles, cumin, chili powder, black beans, and cannellini beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook at a gentle boil, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
4. Ladle evenly into six serving bowls.

How to Prepare for Christmas Early

Only 17 Friday's till Christmas! Yup! The time is ticking! Here are a few tips to minimize stress & have you all prepared and organized ahead of time so you can actually relax and enjoy the holiday with your family!

1. Buy in Advance!
The most well-organized people among us do their Christmas shopping months in advance.  You don’t have to worry too much about whom the presents are for; just pick up things that could suit a number of your friends or family and start stashing them away for Christmas. There are sales all year long! Take advantage of that and just buy and stash! When it comes to buying popular kid items (like Frozen themed toys) earlier the better! You are guaranteed to get it and at a decent price. I already have Elsa and Anna dolls & Elsa gown pjs stashed for my girls :)

2. Plan your meal in advance!
The last few grocery shopping days before Christmas are like hell on earth. Planning your meal in advance can help you avoid this last minute rush to the checkout.  Prices are often marked right up at this particular time, because the stores know that you will pay it no matter what.  Buy things like flour and caster sugar for your baking a few weeks in advance – they will keep for a long time.  If you have a freezer, use it! There are certain parts of your Christmas meal that you can prepare a few days in advance and freeze, freeing up your time on the day.

3. Order cards early!
I love the site Zazzle, I can always find codes for discounts on cards. Who says you have to make or get your Christmas cards in December or November? Keep an eye out on sites like Zazzle, Snapfish, etc for deals and go ahead and get your cards ordered in plenty of time!

4. Remember what's important!
For most of us, Christmas gifts are not what make it a special holiday. It’s about good food, and quality time spent with our loved ones.  It’s hard, I know, but try not to spend too much time panicking about budgeting for Christmas.  Children only care about getting the biggest and best presents if that’s what they are used to; if you go mad buying big presents for them every year, they will expect more and more each year to come. Not only that, but they will lose sight of what Christmas is really all about.  The magic of Christmas has nothing to do with how much money you spend. Make memories, that's what matters the most! Build gingerbread houses together, bake cookies, make decorations, etc. And find at least one thing you can do as a family to help others. Volunteer at the food bank, visit the local nursing home, Salvation Army has Adopt an Angel program to buy a needy child gifts, Samaratin's Purse has Operation Christmas Child that is wonderful as well. 

May you have a blessed and wonderful holiday season this year!