Add Some Pumpkin to Your Day

by Kathy Hester

Fall brings us the winter squash season, and with that pumpkins come back to the forefront of my culinary experiments. I am officially pumpkin obsessed. Pumpkin goes way beyond the traditional pie we all know and love. I’ve been making muffins, lasagna, risotto, soups and more with my little orange friend this year.

Why do I like pumpkin so much? Well first off is the taste is amazing, but nutritionally it is a winner too. 3/4 cup of pumpkin is only 25 calories, gives you 130% of your daily vitamin A, and over 5 grams of fiber. It’s a great source for antioxidants, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and iron. Pumpkin adds color on your dinner plate, which is a good rule of thumb for getting enough vitamins into your day. It also looks especially great served on dark blue colored Noritake dinnerware.

There’s nothing wrong with getting canned pumpkin, but try and get organic if you do. You can also substitute butternut squash puree for pumpkin if you happen to have a can of it on hand. If you’re buying a fresh pumpkin, go for the smaller ones called pie or sugar pumpkins. You want to pick a heavier one if you can since it means the flesh is still nice and moist inside.

It’s easy to make your own pumpkin puree. You can cook it whole as long as you pierce the skin like a potato. Heat the oven to 350 and cook for about an hour. You’ll have to scrape out the guts before you puree it. If you have a small oven like I do, cut it in half, remove the pumpkin guts, and put in a pan with about an inch of water. You would still cook it at 350, but it should cook in less than an hour. Keep checking the skin with a fork. When you can put a fork through the skin easily, it’s done.

Ok, having a cooked half a pumpkin still doesn’t come close to the canned pumpkin you know and love. The next step is to scrape the cooked flesh into a blender or food processor. After you puree it will look closer to the typical canned texture. You can use it all up in a few days or freeze some of it in convent one cup Pyrex bowls. This way you can thaw exactly the amount you need.

Not sure how to get out of your pumpkin rut? My favorite spot for inspiration is foodGawker.com. You can search on an ingredient, dish, or even Holiday and see what the world of food blogs are doing. Take a look at the pumpkin search on the site (foodGawker.com). I’m sure you’ll find something that peaks your curiosity.

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