WE LOVE PUMPKIN!!!!

PUMPKIN…….. So beautiful, so orange... so delicious! Today we're giving props to our favorite form of the large squash. You know it, you love it, so put your hands together for... CANNED PUMPKIN!!!

                 

What Is It?

100% Pure Pumpkin

PER SERVING (1/2 cup): 40 calories, 0.5g fat, 5mg sodium, 9g carbs, 5g fiber, 4g sugars, 2g protein -- PointsPlus® value 0*

Why Do We Love It?

Full of fiber - If you've been following the ongoing series of HG Salutes emails, you may have noticed that we often salute foods that are high in fiber. This is not a coincidence. High-fiber foods help to keep us feeling full and satisfied (which is kinda the whole point). The fact that today's honoree features naturally occurring, plant-style fiber is an extra-special bonus.

Loaded with nutrients - In addition to fiber, there are many other nutrients packed into this gourd. Carotenoids like beta-carotene are plentiful, as is vitamin A (each 1/2-cup serving has 300% the daily value!). Muscle-fueling potassium?  Yup, got that too.  Yay for pumpkin!

Delicious yet neutral - The stuff is naturally yummy with a fantastic creamy texture, but it's not that sweet on its own. Its mild taste makes it an excellent base for all sorts of flavors: cheesy, spicy, maple-y... even chocolatey!  This means you can use it in SO many different recipes.

                 

Pumpkin BFFs

Cake mix! Pumpkin and cake mix are almost inseparable at the HG HQ. Whether you're combining the orange stuff with spice cake for a classically seasoned pumpkin dessert or keeping it low-key with devil's food cake (no one will even know the pumpkin is there), this is a match made in HG's oven!

Pudding! Don't feel like prepping a schmancy dessert, but jonesing for something that tastes somewhat homemade? No problem -- pumpkin is very flexible (and the canned kind is already cooked). Mix some up with a sugar-free vanilla pudding snack, add some pumpkin pie spice, and dig in! (Pudding and pumpkin also join forces in our Pumpkin-licious Nog.) Not a pudding fanatic? Go for fat-free cottage cheese or fat-free yogurt with some no-calorie sweetener and vanilla extract thrown in -- an easy sweet treat with seasonal flair!

Sauce! Pumpkin works AMAZINGLY well in more than just dessert dishes. We like to add it to savory sauces to add thickness, awesome texture, and extra fiber. Whether it's a silent partner (like in this spaghetti pie recipe) or a featured artist (like in this colorful fettuccine dish), pumpkin is a GREAT add-in for sauces of all sorts!

Nemesis: Pumpkin Pie Mix! They may look similar, but these canned cuties couldn't be more different. The pie mix has more than twice the calories and over three times as much sugar as the pure stuff! People often confuse the two (thus the rivalry) -- make sure the can you grab is labeled 100% Pure Pumpkin.

                               

Pump' It Up! Recipe Roundup

Grab a can... in fact, grab several. Pumpkin-fied recipes are comin' atcha...

The Whole Enchilada Chicken Soup - Pumpkin adds amazing texture to this swap for a soup served at Chili's. Love it!

Mr. Puffy Pumpkinhead Freezy-Cool Whoopie Pie - With all the Halloween stuff already on shelves, we got to thinking about this cutie...

Savory Pumpkin Grilled Cheese - Pumpkin in a grilled cheese sandwich. It's a thing now, people. At least in our world!

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Parfait - A dessert-inspired breakfast that we'd eat happily any time of day? This is it!

Creamy Pumpkin Faux-sotto - Just the kind of dish you'll crave when the temperature starts to drop... Is it dropping yet?

Pumpkin Pie Sundae - Like pumpkin pie a la mode... but without any actual pie. Don't worry; the flavor's ALL THERE!

Surprise, It's Pumpkin! Enchiladas - One of the best recipes to ever come out of a kitchen emergency. Pumpkin stands in for refried beans, and it ROCKS!

Old Time Rocky Road Fudge - The mashed squash works serious magic in this incredible swap. Yum, yum, and YUM!

Nicely Iced Pumpkin-Bread Muffins - Pumpkin-y baked treats with icing that won't make YOU pumpkin-shaped. HOORAY!!!!!

Thanks HUNGRY GIRL....We love you!!!!  :)