Pumpkin Nutella Smoothie -- Healthy Version

The picture didn't turn out great but we've all seen a pumpkin smoothie.
Now there are plenty of sweet creamy decadent recipes for pumpkin shakes full of ice cream, sugar and whip cream. That is all good and I am sure that I am going to indulge in at least one of those. But for breakfast or an afternoon healthy snack, I wanted something a little healthier -- which just a touch of decadence.

Pumpkin is one of my favorite flavors. Plus it is a superfood and has all kinds of unbelievable superhero powers. See my Alive! Utah's Taste article this month to discover its superhero qualities. I love that it is so creamy and yet so good for you. So, instead of loading my afternoon power shake with tons of ice cream and whip cream I decided to try a healthier route with just a touch of decadence from some Nutella.

P.S. We used Soymilk in this recipe instead of milk. My daughter recently discovered she is lactose intolerant and while yogurt doesn't seem to bother her -- milk wreaks havoc on her tummy and digestion. She wanted to try this recipe so I used Soy Milk (which is also healthy for you). Feel free to use lowfat milk if you want.

Now this recipe is not knock your socks off sweet. However it is tangy, rich, refreshing and just a tad spicy.

Recipe

1  4 oz carton of vanilla yogurt,frozen (for a sweeter version add a 1/2 cup of ice cream)
1 cup soymilk (plus a little more if you want a milder pumpkin flavor)
2/3 cup pumpkin
2 shakes of nutmeg
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
3 Tb brown sugar
2 heaping TB of Nutella

We just put a carton of vanilla yogurt in the freezer until frozen. Combine ingredients in blender until smooth.
Top each smoothie with and additional tsp of Nutella and a dollop of whip cream if  you want.

Pumpkin Super Foods

Photo by Basil Magazine

I have been waiting to share a couple of my favorite pumpkin recipes with you but I was waiting for them to come out with my article in Basil Magazine.

Check out the super-hero powers of pumpkins and cranberries and my recipes for Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse and Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins. BASIL MAGAZINE

Pumpkin Bars With Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.

I really meant for this post to be devoted to the entire pumpkin. I honestly believe the pumpkin is a near perfect food. Is there any part of the pumpkin we don't use. OK maybe that stringy stuff the seeds hide in. But seriously, I adore the pumpkin. So much so that I am enlarging my small garden area next year just so I can have some real estate for a little pumpkin patch. I know that we will carve at least a dozen jack-o-lanterns every year and my husband is seriously addicted to roasted pumpkin seeds (good thing they are so ridiculously good for you) and I can't get enough pumpkin food in October and November.

Well, now you understand why we are pumpkin people at this house. I am just going to apologize that this is not going to be the post I hoped it would be. I fully intended to give you directions on cooking your own pumpkins but there are so many other better sources out there. I also fully intended to give you my husband's pumpkin seeds roasting tips. But he is being cagey and I was too distracted to take notes and so I bring you my new favorite pumpkin recipe (I have so many) given to me by my friend Christy Florence. I am not sure why these completely basic and simple pumpkin bars are so addicting. They just are. And yet, the ingredients are not the least bit fancy. I dare you to eat only one. Pretty soon the bars are gone and your children are wondering why they only got one serving. In my defense, I did half the recipe.

My Changes:
I did change the frosting recipe to a chocolate cream cheese frosting. I just wasn't in the mood for butter cream frosting. But from the look on Christy's face when she first mentioned this recipe, butter cream would taste just as yummy!

Pumpkin Bars
2 C. Pumpkin,
1 C. oil
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 C. flour
4 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda.

Mix well and spread on to a greased cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 for 25-30 minutes. Frost with butter cream frosting or Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
2 3oz pkgs. of cream cheese
1/2 Cup softened margarine of butter
2 tsp vanilla
4 1/1 to 4 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
1/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Beat together cream cheese, margarine or butter, and vanilla till light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually add remaining powdered sugar until frosting is a spreading consistency. You will probably have some extra. Keep extra refrigerated.

Pumpkin Muffins

Some would say that Nestle knows its chocolate chips and I would say they know their pumpkin. Once again they have me hooked with one of their pumpkin recipes. This time it is pumpkin muffins. Their recipe was for mini muffins and because I was absent a mini muffin tin I just amped it up to regular muffins. The best part of these breakfast delights: they are low cal. Nestle claims that 3 mini muffins equals 100 calories. Therefore I am using my mad math skills to claim that 1 muffin measures out at approximately 100 calories.
Unfortunately, I loved them so much I ate three big ones by noon. Oops. My kids loved them too and all I could think while they gobbled away was "hee hee vegetables for breakfast." In a family where everyone wishes cereal morning could be every morning it was great to find a delicious healthy diversion.
I altered this version very slightly by omitting the granola topping(gasp I was out of granola) and adding a few slivered almonds for the topping instead.
1 Cup Whole wheat flour or Whole grain pastry flour
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or 3/4 cinnamon, 1/4 nutmeg and dash of allspice
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 Cup light packed brown sugar
1/4 Cup oil
1 - 15 oz can pumpkin
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 Cup sliced almonds.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line or grease muffin tin. Combine flour, spice, baking soda and baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Beat sugar and oil in medium bowl until blended. Add pumpkin and eggs and beat well. Graduall sitr in flour mixture. Spoon batter into 12 muffin tins 2/3 full. Sprinkle with almonds and Bake for 15 to minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and cool completely on wire racks.

Pumpkin Sausage Penne

I have a secret weapon in my pantry. It adds flavor, color and veggie power to everything from dessert to pasta. I love canned pumpkin. I always have at least one can of pumpkin stashed in the back of my pantry. It adds variety to the standard canned vegetables and it truly is so versatile. I forgot how much I loved this recipe that truly does rely on pantry items. It's creamy and surprisingly good. I have to admit my two younger girls didn't love it but they are ridiculously picky. They pretty much only eat plain pasta lately. The rest of the fam gobbled it up and they never even realized its secret ingredient.
I did adapt this recipe from a Nestle recipe.

2 Cups dry Penne pasta
1/4 Cup dried onions
1 lb Italian sausage
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 can (15 oz) pumpkin
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 Tb brown sugar
1/2 Tb paprika
1/2 Tb worchestire sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Cup frozen green beans, thawed or 1 can green beans, drained

Cook pasta for 1 to 2 minutes less than package directions, drain.
Cook sausage and onion in a large pan over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Reduce heat to medium and stir in remaining ingredients, except pasta and green beans. Cook, stirring occasionally until mixture begins to simmer. Add pasta and beans; stir until heated through