6 Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Recipes For Your Kids

6 Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Recipes For Your Kids

Why wouldn't you love pumpkins? They are accessible, tasty, adaptable, and packed with incredible health advantages. Their gorgeously sweet orange flesh is delicious in a variety of dishes.

Pumpkins add richness, texture, and flavour everywhere, from silky soups to creamy pasta dishes, from flavourful curries to decadent desserts.

Check out these delectable vegan pumpkin recipes for inspiration on transforming a plain pumpkin into a delicious sweet treat or a perfect main dish.

Health Benefits Of Pumpkin

Here, we examine pumpkins' numerous advantages, discuss their nutrition, and how to incorporate them into a balanced diet.

1. Beta Carotene Boost

Pumpkins are high in beta carotene, like their orange cousins, sweet potatoes and carrots. This antioxidant is converted to vitamin A by your body.

Vitamin A is necessary for vision, fighting germs, and a healthy reproductive system. It also supports the health of the kidneys, heart, lungs, and other organs.

2. Trim Your Belly

Pumpkins are low in calories and high in fibre. In other words, they fill you up without increasing your daily caloric intake.

A nutrient-rich pumpkin is a good option if you're looking for a healthy way to fill up. What goes in comes out frequently because of the increase in fiber in your diet, which also helps to support digestive health.

3. Sharpen Your Sight

You can get 200 percent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin A from one cup of pumpkin. If you get it, your eyes will thank you. Vitamin A helps you see clearly and maintain healthy eyes in low light.

4. Reduce Your Risk of Cancer

Another significant benefit of pumpkin's vitamin A boost is a decreased risk of certain cancers, such as lung or prostate cancer.

Studies have shown that this benefit occurs only when you consume foods high in vitamin A. Supplementing with vitamin A does not provide the same level of protection.

5. Improve Sleep Quality

Tryptophan is an amino acid found in pumpkin seeds. It is a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is crucial in promoting restful sleep and making you feel good.

6. Improve Immunity

In addition to beta carotene, pumpkins also contain iron, folate, vitamin C, and vitamin E, all of which help to boost immunity.

Your immune system will function more effectively to fight off pathogens and hasten wound healing if you consume more pumpkins in your diet.

7. Improve Skin Health

Beta carotene is an antioxidant found in pumpkins. It helps protect the skin from the adverse effects of aging and reduces inflammation, keeping the body and skin calmer and happier.

8. Control Hypertension

The pumpkin's deep orange colour is another indication of its potassium content. Lowering blood pressure is essential.

Unsalted pumpkin seeds are also brimming with plant sterols and minerals that lower blood pressure and increase HDL cholesterol levels (the “good” kind).

9. Improve Heart Health

As your intake of fibre increases, your risk of heart disease decreases, and pumpkin is an excellent source of fibre.

However, fibre alone does not keep your heart healthy. Adding pumpkin can also help you get more vitamin A and potassium.

Vegan Pumpkin Recipes

1. Instant Pot Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Soup Recipe

The Instant Pot pressure cooker makes a creamy vegan pumpkin soup. This quick and straightforward pumpkin apple soup is ideal for fall.

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• Oil: 1 teaspoon
• Onion: ½ cup, chopped
• Garlic: 2 cloves, chopped
• Ginger: ½ inch, chopped
• Green chilli: 1, chopped
• Dried thyme: ½ teaspoon
• Cayenne: ¼ teaspoon
• Pumpkin puree: 1 cup
• Apple: 1, chopped
• Soy sauce tamari for gluten-free: 1 teaspoon
• Cashews: ¼ cup
• Creamier: ⅓ cup
• Pumpkin seeds: ¼ cup
• Veggie broth: 2 cups
• Sea salt: ½ teaspoon
• Garnish with pepper flakes or black pepper and pumpkin seeds

Method

1. On the Instant Pot, choose the Sauté setting. Add a teaspoon of oil and a dash of sea salt. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and chilli and cook until translucent.
2. Mix well after adding the salt, thyme, cayenne, apple, cashews, soy sauce, and pumpkin puree. Skip the sauté and choose manual for 12 minutes.
3. Once the pressure cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally.
4. Use an immersion blender or a regular blender to blend (carefully). Before serving, reheat or bring to a boil to thicken. Add some sweetener; I usually add about a ½ teaspoon of sugar if necessary. Taste and adjust the salt. Serve with croutons, pumpkin seeds, and pepper flakes as garnishes.
5. In a saucepan, sauté the onion, garlic, ginger, and chilli over medium heat. Add the remaining ingredients, cover partially, and bring to a boil. Fifteen minutes more of cooking is required. Blend, boil, taste, and adjust flavour before adding garnish and serving.
6. Store: For up to 4 days in the fridge. For up to a month, freeze.

2. Vegan Pumpkin Bread Roll Recipe

These vegan pumpkin bread rolls make me incredibly happy to share them with you.

Since I first made them, I've been obsessed with them. They are deliciously fluffy, subtly sweet, and, let's face it, totally adorable.

Prep time: 40 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total time: 60 minutes | Servings: 8 rolls

Ingredients

• Pumpkin purée: 220g
• Active dry yeast: 1½ teaspoon
• Water: 160 ml
• Maple syrup: 1 tablespoon
• Sea salt: 1 teaspoon
• All-purpose flour: 450g

Method

1. Combine the water, yeast, and maple syrup in a big basin well. While measuring the rest of the ingredients, wait about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the pumpkin puree after adding it to the yeast mixture.
3. Add the flour and salt, and whisk when the mixture comes together. To smooth the dough, turn it onto a floured area and knead for 10 minutes. Alternately, blend until the dough has doubled in size. Place it in a greased basin and allow it to rise for 90 minutes.
4. Punch the dough to remove the extra air after it has doubled, then divide it into 8 equal pieces. Make a ball out of each and pinch the bottoms together. Pick a long piece of string and mark the midpoint. Flip the entire thing over after positioning the halfway mark on the ball. Make a cross on the bottom of the ball by pulling the two pieces of string together and crossing them over. Until the ball is split into 8 equal pieces, flip it over again and continue as before.
5. Trim any extra string after tying it at the top. The procedure is shown in the pictures below. Cling film the 8 rolls, allowing them to rise once more for 30 minutes. Around the string, the dough will expand and form pumpkin-shaped shapes.
6. Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes with the oven at 170°C. Remove the string after they have finished cooling on a cooling rack.

3. Vegan Pumpkin Pancake Recipe

This autumnal breakfast of vegan pumpkin pancakes is delicious! For a fancier presentation, serve them plain with maple syrup, toasted pecans, and a dollop of plant-based yogurt.

Prep time: 12 minutes | Cook time: 16 minutes | Total time: 28 minutes | Servings: 8 pancakes

Ingredients

• Water: 3 tablespoons
• Ground flaxseed: 1 tablespoon
• All-purpose flour: 180g
• Can sugar: 2 teaspoons
• Baking powder: 2 teaspoons
• Baking soda: ½ teaspoon
• Sea salt: ¼ teaspoon
• Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
• Canned pumpkin puree: ½ cup
• Almond milk: 1 cup, plus 3 tablespoons
• Coconut oil: 2 tablespoons
• Vanilla extract: ½ tablespoons

Ingredients To Serve (Optional)

• Maple syrup
• Vegan yogurt
• Pecans

Method

1. Flaxseed and water should be combined in a small bowl and thickened for five minutes.
2. Combine the flour, cane sugar, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, and salt in a sizable bowl.
3. Mix the pumpkin, almond milk, coconut oil, vanilla, and flaxseed mixture in a medium bowl.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients bowl and stir until combined. Do not overmix; a few lumps are acceptable. The mixture will be thick, but you can add more almond milk if it becomes too thick.
5. A nonstick skillet or griddle should be heated to medium. After lightly brushing the pan with coconut oil, pour the batter onto the skillet using a ⅓-cup measuring cup.
6. Using the back of the cup, spread the batter a little bit more. Cook the pancakes for two minutes on each side, reducing the heat as necessary to ensure that the middles are cooked without burning the edges. After each batch, I usually start with medium heat and reduce it to low as my pan retains heat.
7. To serve as desired, top with yogurt, pecans, and maple syrup.

4. Vegan Pumpkin Focaccia Bread Recipe

This vegan pumpkin focaccia bread is one of my all-time favourite fall dishes. It has a lot of pumpkins and is soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. This bread recipe is not complicated like the other bread recipes I've given you.

The process doesn't require special tools, the ingredients are few (and simple to find), and the kneading time is short. You only need a few bowls, a spoon, and your hands.

Prep time: 2 hours 10 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Total time: 2 hours 40 minutes | Servings: 12 pieces

Ingredients

• Warm water: 4 cup
• Active dry yeast: 2¼ teaspoons
• Maple syrup: 2 teaspoons
• White spelt flour: 3½ cups
• Unsweetened pumpkin puree: 1½ cups
• Extra virgin olive oil: 3 divided tablespoons
• Sea salt: 1¼
• Red onion: 1
• Chopped rosemary: 2 teaspoons

Method

1. Warm water, yeast, and maple syrup should all be thoroughly incorporated into a small basin. Until foam appears on the surface, let it stand for 5 minutes.
2. In the interim, liberally flour a tidy work surface. Assemble two big glass bowls (one for mixing and one for rising). Set one aside after lightly rubbing it with olive oil.
3. The spelt flour should be added to an empty mixing basin. The yeast mixture, pumpkin puree, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and sea salt should all be poured into the center to form a well. Mix and whisk with a large wooden spoon until all the flour has been mixed.
4. Onto the flour-dusted work area, spread the dough out. The dough should be smooth and springy after 2 to 3 minutes of kneading. If extra spelt flour is required (I often add another ½ to 1 cup), add it liberally. When it starts to maintain its shape and partially but not fully springs back when pressed, you'll know it's ready.
5. Spelt's gluten is fragile, so do not overwork it, or your focaccia will turn out dry and crumbly. Roll the dough into a ball and place it in the prepared bowl. In a warm location, rise the dough for an hour or until it has doubled. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel.
6. Cover a sizable baking sheet with parchment paper before the dough rises. The dough is pounded down. Then it is spread out onto a surface that has been liberally dusted with flour.
7. Just give it a quick 15-second knead. After that, flip it over onto the prepared baking sheet. The dough should be formed into a roughly 6-by-12-inch rectangle using your hands.
8. Make holes in the dough with your pointer finger. Apply a light coat of 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the dough's top. Rounds of red onion should be placed on top, then rosemary and kosher salt should be added.
9. Before loosely covering the pan with parchment paper, the focaccia should rise for about 45 minutes, or until it has doubled. In the interim, heat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 28 to 35 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and somewhat crunchy. Now, enjoy it with your family.

5. Vegan Pumpkin Risotto Recipe

This vegan pumpkin risotto is easy to make. You use pumpkin, wild rice, brown rice, and mushrooms. Prepare it in a saucepan or pressure cooker like the Instant Pot.

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• Oil: 2 tablespoons
• White onion: ½
• Garlic: 4 cloves, chopped
• Mushrooms: 10 oz
• Dried thyme: ½ teaspoon
• Onion powder: ½ teaspoon
• Sage: 1 tablespoon
• Pumpkin pie spice: ¼ teaspoon
• White pepper: ¼ teaspoon
• Sea salt: 1 teaspoon
• White wine: ⅓ cup
• Pumpkin puree: ¾ cup
• Water: 2¼ cups
• Brown rice blend: 1 cup
• Non-dairy cream: ¼ cup
• Sweet potato: 16 oz
• Oil: 2 teaspoons
• Dried oregano: 1 teaspoon
• Dried rosemary: ½ teaspoon
• Garlic powder: ½ teaspoon
• Black pepper to taste

Ingredients To Serve

• Fresh sage as a garnish
• Vegan butter
• Vegan parmesan

Method

1. The Instant Pot, then select Sauté. Add oil or broth once it is heated. Cook for two minutes after mixing in the onion, garlic, and a generous salt.
2. Add and incorporate the mushrooms and cook for three minutes. Mix in the herbs and white pepper after adding them. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes after adding the wine. Mix thoroughly before adding salt, pumpkin puree or mashed water, or broth—mix in after adding the rice.
3. Remove from the heat, cover, and pressure cook for 23 minutes (high pressure). Use 2 cups of stock and pressure cook the Arborio rice for 6 minutes.
4. Allow natural pressure relief to occur. Remove the top and stir in the cashew milk or non-dairy cream. If necessary, taste and adjust the salt and flavour. Add some vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast and extra virgin olive oil. Serve roasted butternut, pumpkin, or sweet potato with sage, crisped in oil or fresh, and a generous pinch of black pepper. Serve alongside garlic bread, a side salad, and other sides.
5. Cubed pumpkin, butternut squash, or sweet potato should be tossed in oil before being roasted. The herbs and spices should then be added. To coat, well, toss. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 30 minutes at 400°F (205°C) or until tender to taste. Follow steps 1, 2, and 3 in a sizable saucepan heated medium-low. Save half of the mushrooms for later blending. Mix in the salt, pumpkin, and 4 cups of broth and boil.
6. Mix in the mixture of wild rice. Cook rice with a half cover for 50 minutes or until done. Remove heat after adjusting for taste. Add the vegan parmesan and cashew milk. Add the saved mushrooms and roasted butternut squash as garnish.

6. Vegan Pumpkin Ice Cream Recipe

A vegan pumpkin ice cream that is simply out of this world is created by combining pumpkin puree, toasty aromatic spices, crushed graham crackers, and pecans.

Prep time: 20 minutes | Chill time: 3 hours | Total time: 3 hours 20 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• Bananas: 4
• Coconut milk: 1 cup
• Pumpkin puree: ½ cup
• Maple syrup: 2 tablespoons
• Pumpkin pie spice: 1 teaspoon
• Cinnamon: ½ teaspoon
• Pecans chopped: ½ cup
• Crushed cinnamon graham crackers: ½ cup

Method

1. Place the can of coconut milk and the frozen banana slices the day before.
2. Open the coconut milk can from the fridge. Remove the firm coconut milk from the top and place it in a blender or food processor.
3. Pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and spices should be added and blended until smooth.
4. Spoon into a container using a rubber spatula, such as a loaf pan. Add Graham cracker crumbs and pecans, some of which are saved for the top.
5. Finish with the remaining Graham crackers and pecans. Place it in the freezer (about 3 hours) to make it harder. When ready to serve, take it out of the freezer and thaw for 10-15 minutes until scoopable.

Conclusion

Thanksgiving and fall are the ideal times to serve these delicious vegan pumpkin recipes. Don’t miss trying them; I hope your kids will love them.

I trust you enjoyed this article on 6 Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Recipes for Your Kids. Please stay tuned for more blog posts soon. Take care!

JeannetteZ

 

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Your Opinion Is Important To Me

Do you have thoughts, ideas, or questions? I would love to hear from you. Please leave me your questions, experiences, and remarks about this article, 6 Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Recipes For Your Kids, in the comments section below. You can also email me at Jeannette@LivingTheVeganLifestyle.org.

 

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