One of the frugal ways I work in my kitchen is by using what I have on hand rather than always buying everything I need during any particular week. I have a few cans of organic pumpkin on hand and wanted to use one, so I created something around that. I also had some spices that haven’t seen a lot of love lately, and pudding mixes, so I decided to make a (healthier for me) dessert for this week. The only thing I bought for this recipe was an 8-ounce tub of zero sugar cool whip.
If you aren’t worried about your sugar intake (I have diabetes) you can save money by purchasing store-brand Cool Whip and pudding, but I am not so lucky. I paid more than I’d like for this autumn treat. Thankfully I already had most items on hand.
Pumpkin Cloud
Servings: 5
1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin (I used organic.)
1 vanilla pudding mix (I used ChocZero brand with no sugar.)
1 1/4 cup of water + 2 heaping Tbsp coconut milk powder (Can use another milk alternative if you choose, or 2 cups of regular milk.)
8 ounces Cool Whip (I used zero sugar.)
1.5 Tbs ground flax seed (Optional: Adds protein & fiber.)
1.5 Tbsp hemp hearts (Optional: Adds protein & fiber.)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
- Blend the hemp hearts and the flax together and set aside. I use a smell blender cup and a personal blender base for this.
- Blend the water and milk powder (if necessary) together. Then add the pudding mix and blend again. I use a bit larger blender cup for this.
- Transfer the blended hemp hearts and flax, as well as the pudding, to a medium size mixing bowl.
- Add the pumpkin, Cool Whip, and seasonings to the bowl and combine everything well.
- Transfer to individual containers and cover.
- Refrigerate until you are ready to eat them.
Notes
- Try to save money where you can, to make this as frugal as possible. And consider what you have on hand before going out to buy everything.
- You could try other flavors of pudding if you wanted. If I were to use chocolate pudding, I would also use a scoop of my chocolate protein powder. If I’d have had vanilla protein powder on hand, I would have used that.
Serving suggestions
- This would make a great dessert for a Thanksgiving meal.
- Great for chilly nights after a hot bowl of soup.
The pudding I use is sweetened with monk fruit, and I use the protein and fiber sources to make this healthier for me. You could probably change this up to cater to your own health challenges.
What autumn desserts do you enjoy? Share your thought!
~ Shannon
