Healthy Gingersnap Pumpkin Mousse

If you’re looking for a fall-inspired afternoon snack or special treat for after dinner, try my healthy pumpkin mousse makeover made simply with canned pumpkin puree, frozen banana for natural sweetness, low-fat cottage cheese, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and a tasty topping of crushed gingersnap cookies, hemp seeds, and roasted pumpkin seeds.

Yes, Please!

Healthy and delicious team up for this nutrient-rich pumpkin mousse. The secret ingredient is cottage cheese, delivering body, a luscious texture, and a healthy helping of calcium and protein. The “sprinkles” on top bring a hint of sweetness and lots of crunch to every spoonful.

Every fall, I take an intern (or two) under my wing for a semester. A few weeks ago, I met Brett and Ben, two nutrition seniors from Boston University. About an hour into the internship, they helped me develop this recipe, and they were more than willing to sample a few bites. Expect more meal makeover magic from these two dietitians-to-be in the coming weeks 🙂

Brett and Ben are definitely NOT shy!

There are so many things I love about this healthy mousse. For starters, instead of the usual heavy cream, sugar, and egg yolks found in classic and oh-so-decadent mousse, my better-for-you dessert relies on cottage cheese and frozen banana for texture and sweetness. The pumpkin adds the fall flavors we all crave this time of year, and it delivers fiber and over a days worth of immune-boosting vitamin A.

[Tweet “Classic mousse gets a makeover w/ this #healthy Gingersnap Pumpkin Mousse #dessert #snack”]

5.0 from 1 reviews

Healthy Gingersnap Pumpkin Mousse

 

Author: Liz's Healthy Table

Nutrition Information

• Serves: 4

• Serving size: (1/2 cup),
• Calories: 110,

• Fat: 1g,
• Saturated fat: 0g,
• Carbohydrates: 18g,
• Sodium: 230mg,
• Fiber: 3g,
• Protein: 8g

Recipe type: Dessert

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Every autumn, I get on a pumpkin kick that's hard to quit. My latest recipe for healthy Gingersnap Pumpkin Mousse calls for canned pure pumpkin puree, low-fat cottage cheese (my secret weapon for lusciousness), a drizzle of maple syrup, a frozen banana for natural sweetness, and pumpkin pie spice. We decorate the top with a sprinkle of crushed gingersnap cookies, hemp seeds, and roasted pumpkin seeds. The seeds add a nice crunch to the creamy mousse.

Ingredients

• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 sliced and frozen banana, thawed for 5 minutes
• ¾ cup canned pure pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon or ground pumpkin pie spice
• Optional Topping: 3 crushed gingersnap cookies, 1 tablespoon hemp seeds, 1 tablespoon roasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

Instructions

1. Place the cottage cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
2. Add the banana, pumpkin, maple syrup, and cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice) and continue to process until combined.
3. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue to process until smooth and creamy, 30 seconds to 1 more minute. The mixture should resemble mousse or pudding.
4. Meanwhile, for the optional topping, place crushed gingersnaps, hemp seeds, and pumpkin seeds in a small bowl and stir to combine.
5. Scoop the mousse into 4 bowls (each scoop will be about ½ cup) and sprinkle evenly with the topping, as desired

Notes

1 serving provides 110% vitamin A

3.5.3251

If you like this recipe for pumpkin mousse, you may also like my Mango Coconut Soft Serve …

And my Frozen Wild Blueberry Pudding.