Recipe Wednesday - Pumpkin Cookies

Recipe Wednesday means that I bring you a great recipe idea to add to your collection.  My focus is to bring you good tasting recipes featuring better food choices.  Face it, if it doesn't taste good, you won't eat it!  Today's focus is on the pumpkin with a healthy cookie recipe!

Note: Smaller pumpkins tend to be sweeter pumpkins!  Image retrieved from  www.elanaspantry.com

Autumn brings a bounty of pumpkins and they are a very healthy choice for the kitchen.  High in vitamin C, potassium and protein without any fat, they aren't just for carving into jack-o-lanterns.  For today's featured recipe, you can use canned pumpkin, just be sure to read the label.  You don't want to sabotage your good eating plans with sneaky extra sugar or fats.  You don't need them in this recipe!  If you don't have canned pumpkin, you can easily prepare a pumpkin from your own patch (or any winter squash, for that matter).  For best results use pie pumpkins, jack-o-lantern pumpkins tend to be stringier. 

How to make pumpkin puree

1.  Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds.  
2.  Place open side down in a jelly roll or cake pan, add at least a 1/2 inch or so of water to the pan. 
3.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until tender when tested with a fork (time will vary based on pumpkin size).
4. Allow to cool until you can handle the pumpkin, then scoop the soft pulp from the skin.  Discard the skin and mash the pulp.  
5. Depending how smooth you want your puree, you can mash the pumpkin or process it in a food processor or blender.

Ta-da!   You now have your own pumpkin puree. This will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  Now, about those cookies.  

Pumpkin Cookies

Yield: 2-1/2 dozen cookies 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. cloves

1/8 tsp. ginger

1 cup rolled oats

2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup white flour

1/2 cup raisins (or chopped dates or craisins [dried cranberries])

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1)   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2)   In a mixing bowl, blend together yogurt, vanilla extract, brown sugar, egg and pumpkin puree.

3)   Mix in spices, oats and baking powder, then fold in wheat and white flour, raisins (or dates or craisins) and nuts.

4)   Use a tablespoon to drop small dollops of the mixture onto a nonstick cookie sheet and then bake for 10 - 12 minutes.

Prep time: 15 - 20 minutes (longer if you make your own pumpkin puree)

Cooking time:  10 - 12 minutes

Tips:

- add the dry mix a little at a time to avoid lumps.

- check canned pumpkin to be sure it does not contain added fat or sugar.

- if you need to soften your brown sugar, microwave for 20 seconds (but be sure you have removed any twist ties on the bag!)

Nutritional Information: (per serving)

Calories: 67 

Protein: 2g

Fiber: 1g

Total Fat: 2g

Carbohydrates: 12g

This recipe is from Thin Kitchen and you can find more at www.teambeachbody.com!  

You can watch Danny make these delicious, low fat cookies HERE!