Perks of Pumpkin

Everyone can agree that pumpkin is a fall favorite. There are many health benefits to consuming and using pumpkin in those delicious fall recipes. Pumpkin is packed full of fiber (3 grams per ½ cup of cooked pumpkin) and vitamin A. It’s also a low calorie choice (40 calories per ½ cup of pumpkin puree).

• Fiber helps to promote satiety, regulate bowels, maintain steady blood sugar ranges, and can help to lower cholesterol.
• Vitamin A is important for vision, the immune system, and bone growth.

Try this delicious pumpkin bread recipe!

Ingredients

2 cups of sugar
cup canola oil
cups unsweetened applesauce
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
4 eggs
cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 cups all-purpose flour
cup toasted wheat germ
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ½ cups raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Spray two 8 ½-by-4 ½-by 2 ½-inch loaf pans or 24 muffin tins with the cooking spray.
Cream together the sugar, canola oil, applesauce, pumpkin, eggs and yogurt until smooth.
Stir together the flour, wheat germ, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Combine the dry mixture with the wet one; stir until well combined. Fold in the raisins.
Pour into the prepared pans (fill the muffin tins full). Bake for 50 minutes (loaves) or 25 minutes (muffins).

Recipe from: http://www.eatright.org