Healthy Pumpkin Bars

When the leaves turn auburn and gold in the fall, you will find a copious amount of canned pumpkin in my kitchen cabinets and whole pumpkins on my countertops.

Pumpkin is the superstar ingredient of the season and with good reason. This high fiber veggie is not only an essential ingredient of the highly coveted pumpkin spice latte, they add ample nutrition and flavor to morning oatmeal, smoothies, dips, chili and now… bars.

I love whipping up a batch of these beta-carotene beauties for quick on-the-go snacks or breakfasts. Their protein and carbohydrate balance will fuel your mornings and afternoon activities.

If you are short on time and don’t have time to roast up the entire pumpkin for the puree (don’t forget to save the seeds!), canned pumpkin works perfectly fine. Make sure you purchase 100% pure pumpkin and that there are no additional ingredients or additives included.

Beta-carotene is the pigment found in pumpkin and can be attributed to their bright orange hue. Beta-carotene is the precursor to vitamin A but it is also considered an antioxidant which we know helps fight potential oxidative damage to our cells by quenching free radicals.

Nutrition:

Pumpkin: High fiber pumpkin provides an impressive amount of vitamin A– 1 serving is equivalent to more than 200% of your daily intake which aids skin and eye health.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon has been attributed to blood sugar control by slowing the rate at which the stomach empties after meals.

Ginger: Ginger is known for its alleviation of gastrointestinal distress while providing direct anti-inflammatory benefit

Coconut: Coconuts contain medium chain fatty acids, which are a great direct energy source because of their unique metabolism in the body similar to carbohydrates.

Eggs: Eggs are the most concentrated source of choline. Some of choline’s roles include neurotransmitter synthesis for brain communication, memory and cognition as well as lipid transport and metabolism.