Wednesday, October 1, 2014

The Power of Super Foods—Fall Pumpkin Treats



The Power of Pumpkin

Pumpkins- Are not only fun to carve into scary shapes but they are nutritional powerhouses. The flesh of the pumpkin is loaded with many anti-oxidants--vitamin A, C and E. And the seeds are loaded with the important immune boosting mineral zinc. So if you are looking to fight the flu naturally this season try adding pumpkin seeds, pumpkin muffins and all kinds of pumkin purees into your fall diet.

Pumpkin Chip Muffins



Ingredients:
3/4 cups pumpkin puree
8 ounces dates, finely chopped
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 tablespoons maple syrup, grade B
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cups finely ground walnuts
1/3 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 teaspoon ground flax seeds


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a high-speed blender combine, pumpkin puree, dates, vanilla, coconut oil and maple syrup until creamy. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the oats, ground walnuts, coconut, cinnamon, flax seeds, salt and baking powder until well combined. Stir in the pumpkin mixture, then fold in the chocolate chips.
Spoon dough into balls and flatten with a back of a fork. Bake for 15 minutes or until they are brown. Let cool before serving