Antioxidant-Rich Pumpkin Chocolate Bake

                                           

By Kelsey Smith

IG: @pretty.resilient

Since changing my diet to mostly plant-based products, I’ve been on the hunt for a delicious dessert. When I made a yogurt/pumpkin face mask, I was left with a considerable amount of pumpkin. This became a golden opportunity to create something divine. With a surplus of dark chocolate in my cabinet, I knew a guilt-free concoction was in my future. A few weeks prior, I went all-in on a family-sized package of Quaker rolled oats to make overnight oats and knew I could spare a few cups for a different recipe.

As many early-staggers know, the recovery period after chemo tends to be taxing and it can take years to feel better. It is likely weight is impacted because many cancers are hormonal responsive. In my case, I gained almost 20 lbs. of fat, losing muscle in the process. Peanuts are now a primary food source for muscle gain, which is why I had to add peanut butter to this recipe.

Not only is this recipe vegan, it is gluten free and packed with other good-for-you ingredients. Pumpkin is rich with Vitamin-A and fiber. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides that are digested faster than long-chain triglycerides. Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fats. At 389 calories per serving, it’s also a great option for a “healthy” dessert! If you are looking for a creative way to add more protein to this recipe, I recommend topping with 1/4 cup of hemp seeds or adding two scoops of vanilla pea protein to the dry ingredients.

Dry Ingredients:

1 Cup Quaker Rolled Oats

1 Cup Bob’s Red Mill Coconut Flour

½ tsp Baking Powder

½ tsp Salt

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

¼ tsp Nutmeg

¼ tsp Ground Ginger

1/8 tsp Ground Cloves

1/8 tsp Allspice

2 Scoops Uckele Vanilla Pea Protein (Optional)

 

Wet Ingredients:

1 Cup Light Brown Sugar

¾ Cup Pumpkin Puree

½ Cup Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil, melted & cooled

1/2 cup Peanut Butter or Almond Butter (I used crunchy peanut butter for this recipe)

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

 

Add-in:

1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips

Topping (Optional)

1/4 Cup Live Superfoods Hemp Hearts

Serves 8

                                            

Enjoy!

In the Kitchen with Cat!