You hear it over and over this time of year- pumpkin spice. Pumpkin spice muffins. Pumpkin spice lattes. I even read about pumpkin spice fried chicken the other day. I’m not so sure about the last one, but I do have to agree that this is a great time of year for comfort foods involving fall produce- apple cider, pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes, and apple pie. My stomach growls just thinking about it, but my brain begins to add up the calories just thinking about all the sugar, butter, and refined carbohydrates.
There just has to be a way to enjoy these fall comfort foods without busting the calorie budget. Well, I have a few tricks (and treats) up my sleeve that hit the spot.
Make Your Own Pumpkin Spice– Pumpkins don’t really have much flavor to then. Pumpkin spice is actually a combination of cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg. A friend of mine gave me this great recipe:
Ingredients:
1.5 Tbsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Ground Ginger
1 tsp. Cloves
1 tsp. Allspice
1 tsp. Nutmeg
Add this to any foods or drinks that you would like to have a pumpkin spice flavor, such as coffee or muffins, and you cut out the sugar and artificial flavors found in many store-bought pumpkin spice products.
Pumpkin Mousse- This pumpkin mousse recipe is my substitute for Pumpkin Pie. Cut out the crust that has white flour and butter in it for a lower fat option, and it’s gluten free. This is also a great way to use pumpkins you grow in the garden without having to buy canned pumpkin. See more ideas for pumpkins here.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes– Without thinking, we add butter and brown sugar to our sweet potatoes, but like the name states, sweet potatoes are naturally sweet and loaded with great nutrients. Add some cinnamon or a combination of the Pumpkin Spice above to your sweet potato for a low-fat, low-calorie version, and enjoy. I eat this as a dessert.
Baked Apples– Nothing says fall like Apple Pie. I love the different varieties of apples available in the fall, and I use that to my advantage when cooking and baking. Since some varieties of apples are very sweet, using a combination of apples when baking allows you to decrease the use of sugar.
Skin, core, and slice a variety of apples and place in a Pyrex or ovenproof container. I usually start with 4-5 sweet and tart apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon or pumpkin spice and toss until the apples are coated. Bake at 350 degrees until the apples are tender. Toss again and enjoy! Again, this is a healthier (and gluten-free) alternative to apple pie.
See my previous blog post on the benefits of apples.
Apple Cider Tea– I just recently came across this recipe for apple cider tea as an alternative to Apple Cider with all of its sugar, and boy is it good. As a modification to the recipe, try cutting out the sugar by using a combination of apples. For an adult beverage version of this drink, add a splash of whiskey or rum.
See my previous blog on Healthy Halloween Treats for more ideas on healthier fall treat ideas. All of the recipes in this blog post can be gluten free, if with Celiac disease always check labels of all ingredients for safety.
Happy Fall,
Megan Carrier, MS
Eat Fit Health Intern