It’s happening!! Fall is here and it’s time to get out the chunky sweaters and enjoy the change of seasons. While everyone gets excited for the return of autumn, our Keto friends are smiling ear-to-ear because Fall foods and Keto Diets go together like Pumpkin and Spice! While all of our favorites come into season this time of year (broccoli, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, peppers, garlic, etc.), we are especially excited for the squashes and pumpkins.
They are so versatile, easy to cook, and packed with nutrition. And most hold up really well to freezing so fall is a great time to visit farmers’ markets and pile up the pumpkins and squash, make up some big batches of soups and snacks and stock your freezer for winter. Here’s a few of our favorite Pumpkin and Squash Keto recipes to try out this weekend.
Of course, you can skip the cooking and just order a snack box from us! Our Keto Kits include delicious pumpkin seeds so you can skip the whole cooking part and get right to snacking! Check out the Keto Snack Box here.
Here’s a few of our favorite Pumpkin and Squash Keto recipes to try out this weekend.
Spaghetti Squash: One of our favorite fall squashes is Spaghetti Squash – it looks like a regular squash on the outside but the inside looks and tastes just like spaghetti noodles! It’s super low-carb (one cup has 5.5 net carbs), gluten-free, and packed with lots of fiber and nutrients.
It’s also easy to cook –microwave for about 8 minutes (just puncture sides first); peel, chunk, and boil for about 20 minutes, or cut in half (remove seeds) and bake for about 25 minutes at 375°F. Once cooked, pull a fork through the flesh to make strands. Serve with butter and seasoning or cover with your favorite sauce. Kids love this as much as regular pasta and get a great dose of nutrition!
Zucchini or Summer Squash: these are delicious sliced and sauteed with other veggies but you can also add shredded zucchini to soups and stews for a hearty thickener and nutrient boost. To freeze just slice in half, remove seeds, then shred or cube (keep peel on). Lay cut zucchini on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze. Once frozen, put in an airtight container then scoop out as needed to add to soups, stews, or smoothies.
Butternut or Acorn Squash: yes, these are higher carb than the first two but they still can fit into a Keto diet. They are easy to store and will keep for a long time if you keep them in a cool, dark room. Just make sure they are clean with no bad spots before storing.
One of our favorite ways to cook squash is to roast chunks with bacon. Just peel and cube (removing seeds), slice up a few cloves of garlic, chop about 5 slices of bacon, and toss all together with olive oil and seasonings. Roast in a cast iron skillet or baking sheet at 425°F for about 45 minutes (until squash starts to brown).
Pumpkins: there are so many great ways to use pumpkins!! For starters, you can easily make your own pureed pumpkin and skip that canned stuff. Use the smaller pie pumpkins for this and just cook like you would regular squash. When cooked and cooled, put the flesh in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Freeze in serving size baggies and add to just about anything for a dose of nutrition and lots of Vitamin A.
One way we are loving pumpkin is to make Pumpkin Spice chips (yes, chips). These satisfy both your sweet tooth and your need for a little crunch while packing a nutritional wallop. Just thinly slice pieces of raw pumpkin (a mandolin works best for this), arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet, sprinkle with a little monk fruit powder and lots of your favorite fall spice mixture (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice). Bake at 200°F for about 2 hours until crispy. Store in an airtight container until ready to eat.