15 min meal: Spiced Pumpkin Protein Parfait.
What we’re eating: An extremely easy breakfast option that you can make in less than 15min & then grab on your way out the door the rest of the week. Add these to your grocery list:
14 oz can pumpkin purée (or 1 cup roasted pumpkin)
1 can full-fat coconut milk (or coconut cream)
Vanilla protein powder of choice (2.5 servings)
Spices: 1 tbsp tumeric, 2-3 tbsp cinnamon, 1-3 tbsp ginger, 0.5-1 tsp nutmeg, 0.5-1 tsp ground clove, 1 tsp sea salt
Walnuts & pecans (optional)
Ginger snaps (optional - go with a brand that has less than 20g total carbs/serving and at least 2g fiber)
To make 5 servings:
Mix the pumpkin and the coconut milk.
Add your protein powder of choice - use 2.5 servings of the protein powder to make 5 pumpkin parfaits.
Mix thoroughly & add your spices. The vanilla protein powder makes the pumpkin purée VERY sweet in a one-dimensional way, so don’t skip the spices! The cinnamon, ginger, & clove are necessary to balance the flavor out. Tumeric is a mild spice on its own and adds a lot of antioxidants (read: anti-aging or de-stressing) power, so it’s optional but recommended!
OPTIONAL: Make a mix of crushed walnuts & pecans (total 1.25 cups nuts; 0.25 cups/serving).
Portion your spiced pumpkin protein mix into 5 containers & top with your walnut & pecan mix.
Add a @partakefoods ginger snap for some extra spice + fiber and now you have an amazing, nutritious pumpkin spice parfait!
Why we’re eating it: Protein for breakfast but make it pumpkin spice. There are many layers of inflammation-reducing benefits here: (1) omega 3’s in the coconut oil (& optional walnuts), (2) antioxidants - including beta-carotene - in the pumpkin, (3) spices known to help improve blood glucose control and improve immune function.
When we’re eating it: Whenever we freaking want. I like it for breakfast because this parfait is easy to whip together & can be made during meal prep and stored in the fridge for a seriously nutritious, antioxidant-packed, and comforting snack on the go. It can also be the perfect update for your dessert menu during the holiday season when we’re all sharing recipes. Why not share something heart-healthy with your loved ones?
I have never made this and not finished it by the end of the week, so I know it’s good for at least 7 days :)
What if you’re not moving? Can you still eat those simple carbs? Yes - this parfait has 16g of total carbs, 7g of those are from fiber, so the simple carb count is only 10g! There is also 18g of protein if you don’t add the nuts. Top with 1/4 cup of walnut+pecan mix and you get 22g of protein, 9g of fiber, and 12g of simple carbs (plus more essential fats & iron). This is an amazing “comfort food” for even when you aren’t moving that much.
For reference, a glass of skim milk has 13g of simple carbs, 9g of protein, and no antioxidants or significant vitamins. Two eggs have 2g of simple carbs, and 12g of protein (plus essential fats, vitamin A, and vitamin B12).
