Tweet
Holly Joy’s Pumpkin Protein Muffins

There are plenty of recipes like this out there, but I've found that most of them have too many ingredients. I like to keep things really quick and basic.
Ingredients:

• 6 scoops vanilla protein powder
• 1 can pumpkin
• 1 tsp baking soda, baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup liquid egg whites
• 1/2 cup raw oats
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• Desired amounts of cinnamon, pumpkin spice, or apple pie spice (I use about 2 tablespoons to spice it up! Remember, the plain pumpkin has none of these.)

Macros per muffin:

• 88 calories each
• 10 g carbs
• 9 g protein
• 1.5 g fat
• 5 g fiber

Bake at 375 degrees for 22–25 minutes. If you want to increase the calories, add some more nuts in the mix or on top. You can also add raisins or some other things to change the macros around, but I like food like this to have as few calories as possible because they're so good! If you add nuts or oil (which is what most recipes call for), you’ll jack the calorie and fat content way up per muffin!

---

Next is Hannah Johnson'Hill with her recipe for a delicious pumpkin shepherds pie.



Coco-Pumpkin Shepherds Pie

Pumpkin has nearly half the calories and carbs of sweet potatoes, plus twice the fiber. I've used it in everything from smoothies to pancakes to puddings.
The flavor of this is probably the best I've ever had—hands down—of any Shepherd's Pie. Plus, this recipe makes a full 9x13 pan for around $12. And every time I've made it, it’s gotten better and better.
You Will Need:

• 1 bunch celery
• 10 large peeled carrots
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 cans pumpkin
• Sprinkle of shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:

• First, wash and roughly chop your carrots, celery, and yellow onion. I like big chunks of veggies—this lets the vegetables stay crisp and adds plenty of texture.
• Next, in a large nonstick pan, brown your ground beef until it’s about medium-well (in other words, some pink is still visible) and drain it. We won’t be draining again and you don’t want your pie to be soupy, so be sure to drain the beef well.
• Note: Add plenty of garlic salt here. Don’t be afraid of over-seasoning. This is going to contrast the sweetness of the coconut milk and pumpkin, and nothing else we’re adding will have salt in it. On second thought…I mean, use your common sense. We’re not making Salt Herring. You can always add salt later, but as for now, we want the meat to be well seasoned.
• Now, add in your chopped veggies and pop a lid over everything, letting it sweat for about five minutes as the beef finishes cooking. After three to five minutes the beef should be done and the veggies should still be very crisp. So add in your can of coconut milk and bring everything to a boil.
• Quickly mix your two tablespoons of cornstarch with a dash of cold water. Whisk it with a fork and pour it into your beef mix. Boiling activates the thickening properties of cornstarch, so let it boil for about a minute while you stir constantly. This will turn the coconut milk into a rich, gravy-like consistency.
• Now it's time to spread your pie mix evenly into a 9x13 baking dish. Top the goodness with your canned pumpkin. Just so you know, the easiest way to do this is by “Globbing.” Using a big spoon, drop big globs of pumpkin (evenly spaced) on your meat and veggie filling. Then, smear the globs together with the back of the spoon.
• Finally, sprinkle just a bit of Parmesan cheese on top to balance out the sweetness of the pumpkin.

Now, unless you’re wasting time, the pie mix should still be piping hot. The only thing room temperature is the pumpkin topping, so we do NOT want to overcook the vegetables to the point that they get mushy. I recommend baking at 350° for about 15 minutes. Then, crack the oven door and broil the Parmesan cheese for an additional five minutes. Your finished product should be lightly crisped. The end result is an ultra-low carb, high fiber, high protein meal that has plenty of satisfying good fat.

---

Next is a recipe for protein pumpkin pancakes created by Alycia Israel.

Low Carb Protein Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients (1 Serving):

• ½ Cup Canned Pure Pumpkin
• 1 Cup Egg Whites
• 1 TBSP Coconut Flour
• ½ Scoop Vanilla or Pumpkin Spice Whey Protein
• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 Dash of Nutmeg or Ground Allspice
• *Optional Truvia for sweetening

Macro Breakdown:

Protein – 41 grams
Fat – 2.5 grams
Carbs – 17 grams (8.5 from fiber)
Calories – 261
Directions:

1. Heat skillet on low-med heat, spray skillet with non-sticking spray.
2. Into medium-large bowl, mix all ingredients until smooth. You can also mix the dry and wet ingredients separately and then add together.
3. Pour batter into skillet (can do 1-2 pancakes depending on the size of your skillet) and cook until the edges firm up or you see bubbles. Turn pancake.
4. Serve with sugar-free, Walden Farm’s calorie-free syrup.

I’ve made these pancakes a number of times and absolutely love them. Cooking time can depend on your consistency preference. If under cooked, they can be a bit soft so make sure they are golden brown on each side! Also, if you would like to bump up the fat content, you can sprinkle pecans on top or mix into the batter.

---

Last and certainly not least is Yessica Martinez with her new recipe for Dark Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Protein Bars.

Dark Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Protein Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 4 oz (3 scoops) of Atlarge French Vanilla Nitrean Protein Powder
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar
• 1 cup gluten free organic rolled oats
• Dark chocolate chips

Macros:

Who cares. There's a shit ton of protein for your gainz.
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350•F. Spray 9 x 11 inch pan with coconut cooking spray
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine pumpkin purée, almond butter, protein powder, maple syrup, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs.
3. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and spices until a smooth batter forms. Stir in the rolled oats.
4. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with dark chocolate chips.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

TweetNow that sounds awesome too!