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Celebrate pumpkin season with gourd-for-you cheesecakes and kettle corn

Pump up the flavor and nutrition with pumpkin.
/ Source: TODAY

It's prime-time pumpkin season. And while these bright orange gourds make for beautiful seasonal decorations and tasty latte flavorings, they're also awesome for baking and for infusing extra nutrition and flavor into so many goodies. To help you celebrate autumn, I'm sharing two out-of-this-world treats: Pumpkin Cheesecake and Pumpkin Spice Kettle Corn. Both are insanely delicious and simple to make. Now, let's get this pumpkin party started!

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Joy Bauer's Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Kelly Harrison

Classic cheesecake is always amazing, but when the leaves start falling, pumpkin cheesecake is calling. These mini bites are rich, creamy and totally decadent. They feature a crispy graham cracker crust, a luscious pumpkin-cheesy filling and a blend of autumn-inspired spices. The end result is a crave-worthy recipe that will most definitely satisfy your sweet tooth. By incorporating canned pumpkin into the mix, I bumped up the overall nutrition, adding beta-carotene, potassium and fiber. Plus, each one has only 140 calories and provides 5 grams of protein — not too shabby for an indulgent dessert!

Get the recipe here.

Give your popcorn an addictive, pumpkin-y spin by tossing a batch with a sweet and caramel-like sauce and then crisping it in the oven. It helps take a standard snack from good to, well, incredible. Plain crunchy popcorn becomes completely irresistible with the cozy warm flavors of fall. You will not be able to stop popping — and that's totally fine because there's only 45 calories per cup and a dose of filling fiber. Munch on, folks.

For more tasty recipes, order Joy's new cookbook "Joy Bauer's Superfood!"

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