Are you all set for Halloween?
I know I know; it’s not quite the trick or treating, ghouls and goblins weekend we may all have planned and lets be honest, we’ve been wearing a face mask and eating sweets all year so what’s another day?
However, despite no trick or treating this year, there’s still a bunch of things we can do at home and on a budget to get in the spirit of things:
- Scary Movie Marathon – have you seen the new Witches movie with Anne Hathaway yet?
- Play non stop Halloween music and dance around the living room ( I can feel a Thriller dance routine coming on )
- Host your very own virtual Halloween party
- Play party games – bobbing for apples, toilet roll bowling ( yes its a thing in our house )
- Pumpkin picking and then get creative carving the best scary faces you can
- Scavenger hunt for sweets with the kids
Or
- Whip up this delicious Pumpkin, Tofu and Bulger salad bowl, or pancake stack and snuggle up in your pyjama’s and binge watch scary movies on Netflix.
Sometimes there’s nothing scarier than cooking a dish with pumpkin when you don’t know where to start. Well I’m here to show you the simplest and most delicious recipes that are super healthy to enjoy during pregnancy and are packed full of nutritious goodness.
I promise there’s nothing scary about the health benefits of pumpkin either and as well as being packed with vitamins and minerals, pumpkin is also low in calories, as it’s 94% water and full of beta-carotene which is a safe source of carotenoid which converts into Vitamin A which we need for eye health, cell growth and to support our immune systems during pregnancy.
Its also a great source of fibre and iron which is important for the production of red blood cells and helps our body supply oxygen to our cells.
One cup of cooked pumpkin Contains;
- Calories: 49
- Fat: 0.2 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
- Carbs: 12 grams
- Fibre 3 grams
- Vitamin A: 245% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
- Vitamin C: 19% of the RDI
- Potassium: 16% of the RDI
- Copper: 11% of the RDI
- Manganese: 11% of the RDI
- Vitamin B2: 11% of the RDI
- Vitamin E: 10% of the RDI
- Iron: 8% of the RDI
Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/pumpkin
One serving of pumpkin seeds contains more than 25 percent of your recommended daily intake of magnesium, which helps speed your ability to use carbohydrates, fats and proteins as sources of energy. Pumpkin seeds are also a vegetarian source of iron, with about 2 milligrams per cup.
Pumpkin Pancakes
Ever tried pumpkin pancakes? There’s never going to be a better time to try them, so why not whip up a batch this weekend. They’re the perfect Autumnal choice for a healthy breakfast or brunch.
Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
- 1 tbsp Plain Flour
- 2 Medium Eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Mixed Spice
- Vegetable Oil or Coconut Oil for frying
- Maple Syrup to Serve
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients together and whisk well.
- Add 2 tbsp of mixture into a small frying pan, cook for two minutes on each side.
- Stack, Drizzle with Maple Syrup and Serve
Spiced Pumpkin Protein Granola Bars
These are the perfect on the go snack to get you through the witching hour and as it’s Halloween tomorrow it would be rude not to whip up some delicious healthy pumpkin themed snacks & these Spiced Pumpkin Nutty Protein bars are spot on. Packed full of seeds, nuts and plant based goodness.
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Spiced Pumpkin Protein Bars
Ingredients
- 2 Cups of mixed nuts almonds pecans, walnuts, cashews roughly chopped. Or to save time what I like to do is throw them in a sealed bag, make sure all the air is out first and bash em up with a rolling pin. ( cheaper than therapy)
- 2 cups of milled linseed or flaxseed
- 2 cups of coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup of maple syrup
- 1 Cup of pumpkin purée homemade just chop boil and blitz up one medium pumpkin
- 1 tsp of mixed spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup chia seed
Instructions
- In one bowl combine all your dry ingredients together, meanwhile in a medium saucepan melt coconut oil, add maple syrup and pumpkin purée.
- Pour the wet mixture into dry and combine completely before pouring into a lined 20cm square bake tin.
- Flatten mixture down with the back of a metal spoon and place in the oven at 160C for 45 minutes.
- Leave to completely cool before slicing.
- These will keep for up to a week slim an air tight container.
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Pumpkin, Tofu & Bulgur Salad
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 Cup 500g pumpkin, cubed
- 1 tsp. Sweet paprika
- 1 tsp Chili powder
- 2 tsp. Dried rosemary
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1/3 Cup Walnuts Chopped
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup 55g of bulgur wheat
- few handfuls spinach fresh and washed
- 2/3 cup 80g tofu, drained
- 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200C (400° F).Season the pumpkin with salt and pepper, paprika powder and rosemary.
- Cover well with olive oil and honey.
- Put the pumpkin on a baking tray lined with paper.
- Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, halfway through cooking time add the walnuts and drained tofu.
- Place the bulgur into a small pot, and add 3/4 cup of water, season with salt and bring to boil. Simmer under cover for about 20 minutes until tender, and the liquid is absorbed.
- Add the cooked bulger to the roasted pumpkin on the baking tray and mix, collecting the whole flavour from the roasted pumpkin. Add the spinach and mix well.
- Divide onto plates, season with freshly ground pepper and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
- This dish can be served warm or cold.
Have an awesome weekend and happy healthy pregnancy to you all.