Pumpkin Power
Got a pumpkin you’ve been using as holiday décor? Don’t throw it out—eat it!
While most pumpkins are grown and sold simply to add a burst of orange color to our autumn festivities, their bright orange glow is a clear sign that powerful nutrition is packed inside that gourd.
Pumpkin “meat” is rich in vitamins A (246% of the RDA), C, E, B-complex and minerals such as copper, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. Add to that the facts that pumpkin is a good source of fiber and very low in calories and you have some extremely compelling reasons to venture cooking with this often-ignored nutritional powerhouse.
Here’s how to get at the pumpkin’s goodness: Cut off the top of the gourd and clean out the seeds and stringing innards. Cut the pumpkin into chunks; bake skin side down on a baking sheet for 30 minutes at 350◦F. When cooked and cooled, scrape the flesh off the rind and blend to a puree in a food processor. (If this is too much work, simply grab a can of pumpkin puree—not pie filling—from the market. But as you might imagine, fresh will taste best.)
Try these recipes to infuse some pumpkin power into your meal plan:
Pumpkin Soup
- 2 c. pumpkin puree (or one 15 oz. can)
- 30 oz. low-sodium chicken broth (Use less broth for a thicker consistency.)
- 3/4 cup half and half
- 1 Tbs. brown sugar
- Season with salt, pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg to taste (Want a bolder taste? Try adding some curry.)
Heat your chicken broth, whisk in puree and half-and-half. Add brown sugar. Season with above spices to taste.
Pumpkin Pancakes
- 2 cups of your favorite dry pancake mix
- 3 Tbs dark-brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin-pie spice
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ chopped walnuts (optional)
Stir together all these ingredients
and griddle up some of the most nutritious and delicious pancakes your family
has ever eaten!