Shhhh, I have a dirty little secret.

I freaking love pumpkin

AND I DON’T CARE WHO KNOWS IT.

The arrival of pumpkin flavored beer, bread, Oreos, and lattes reminds us that it’s time to put away the shorts, break out the jean jackets, and prepare for the cooler winds of Autumn. But did you know that pumpkins are a fruit? Okay, “botanically speaking,” pumpkins are considered berries. Hence why it’s perfect for pies. And how do you make the most delicious shakes around? Add berries, duh (read: add pumpkin to your post-workout shake).

Plus, by adding pumpkin to your post-workout shake you can repeat this mantra to your muscles:

Prepare porous pliable physiques, pumped, puffed, and prating publicly the pending pumpkin powered protein post-workout pizzazz.

Fine, enough fun with the English language. I know what you want. You’re ready to go full white girl (including the UGG’s) looking for some great ways to pack pumpkin into your favorite shake or pre-workout meal.

Pumpkin Protein Shake

This one is pretty simple.

12 ounces of skim/almond milk (I am obsessed with Cashew milk right now so I use that)

⅓ cup of Pumpkin

1 scoop of Vanilla Protein (Caramel flavor works well too)

½-1 teaspoon of cinnamon (depends on if you like more or less cinnamon)

Handful of Ice Cubes (optional)

Mix it all in a blender and enjoy.

Fat- 5g (varies based on milk choice and protein powder)

Carbs-35 (unsweetened almond milk provides fewer carbs)

Protein- 27 (higher if you use skim milk)

Potent Pumpkin Protein Packed Shake

The above one is pretty simple and does not require a lot but this one below really pumps up the protein for your post workout or even pre-workout nutrition.

½ cup of non-fat plain Greek Yogurt

1 frozen banana

½ cup of almond milk

1 scoop Vanilla Protein

1 tablespoon of Maple syrup

⅔ cup of canned pumpkin

Handful of ice (optional)

Mix it all in the blender and slurp it down.

Fat- 3g (varies based on milk choice and protein powder)

Carbs- 70g (higher in carbs due to Maple Syrup)

Protein- 38g

You do not have to limit yourself to using pumpkin in protein shakes. You can actually make pumpkin butter and use it on toast, bagels, rice cakes, muffins, or add it to your morning oatmeal.

Pumpkin Butter

1 can of Pumpkin

⅔ cup of brown sugar

¼ cup of honey or maple syrup

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

¼ teaspoon of nutmeg

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, turn heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the mixture thickens, stirring frequently. Place it in a Mason jar or plastic container and store in the fridge. It’ll last up to 2 months.

Add a little pumpkin butter to your morning coffee instead of spending nearly $4 at Starbucks.

*1 Tablespoon of Pumpkin Butter has about 8 grams of carbs*

Protein shakes and pumpkin flavored coffee are great, but there’s one food that pumpkin flavor makes even better. Fact: There is absolutely nothing better after a workout than post workout pancakes. If you’ve never had post workout pancakes, you’ve never lived. 

I have a couple different ways to prepare protein pumpkin pancakes that promote powerful physical progression. But before we start on the pancakes, let me first give you a quick Pumpkin Spice recipe that you can create with some of your own spices you already have at home.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice

¼ cup ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon of ground gloves (substitute allspice if you have that instead)

Mix the ingredients together and place in a jar.  You can use this to add a little hint of pumpkin flavor to anything you wish throughout the year. Now, on to the pancakes.

Protein Pumpkin Pancakes

¼ cup of canned pumpkin

½ tsp of vanilla extract

⅓ cup egg whites

1-2 scoops of vanilla whey protein (use two if you are sharing your pancakes)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp pumpkin spice

⅓ cup old fashioned oats or flour

Mix everything together in a bowl or a blender. Spray non-stick spray on a medium sized skillet and turn heat to medium. Pour batter onto the skillet.  Once you begin to see the pancake bubbling, flip it over. Once both sides are golden brown, remove from heat and enjoy.

Add some pumpkin butter you made above with a dash of syrup or with a dollop of Greek Yogurt and cinnamon and chow down.

Fats- 4

Carbs- 32

Protein- 34

Low Carb Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

This recipe is very similar to the one above except with fewer carbs.

¼ cup of canned pumpkin

½ tsp of vanilla extract

2 egg whites

1 scoop of vanilla whey protein

1/2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp pumpkin spice

Mix everything together in a bowl or a blender. Spray non-stick spray on a medium sized skillet and turn heat to medium.  Pour batter onto the skillet.  Once you begin to see the pancake bubbling, flip it over. Once both sides are golden brown, remove from heat and enjoy.

Fats- 2

Carbs- 12 (could be lower if your protein powder is low carb as well)

Protein- 34

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Oatmeal is my go to breakfast before I train mid-morning. Add pumpkin before you head to the gym to deadlift like a beast.

½ cup of old fashioned oats

1 cup of skim/almond milk

¼-⅓ cup pumpkin puree (depends on how much you want it to taste like pumpkin)

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

½ teaspoon of nutmeg

1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

Bring the oats and milk to a boil. Once boiling, turn to low and add in the pumpkin puree.  Stir for 5 minutes or until desired consistency.  Add cinnamon and nutmeg and maple syrup, stir and enjoy.

I’m Here to Pump(kin) You Up

I’m fighting the urge to finish this article with some form of alliteration. But I won’t, that would be overkill. Plus, all this talk of pumpkin is making me thirsty. So I need to go put my Uggs on and grab a pumpkin spiced latte. So get #basic with me this fall, and make pumpkin butter, add it to your coffee, smear it on a bagel, or partake in some post-workout protein pancakes. Because we all know what’s coming….Winter is coming.