Posted October 13, 2011
Thanks to the ubiquitous pumpkin pie that graces tables each Thanksgiving, you may not think of pumpkin as anything other than an integral aspect of a holiday dessert.
But pumpkins have the potential to be much more, packing a variety of dishes with flavor and nutrition.
“I think that we’re beginning to understand more about the benefits of seasonal foods,” says Sheri Caldwell, a dietitian with Hy-Vee in St. Joseph. “And I think there are ways to incorporate pumpkin we haven’t yet thought of.”
But there also are plenty of ways that have been concocted already, as well as lots of health value to take into account. Pumpkins are rich in carotenoids, which are known for keeping the immune system strong and healthy, as well as beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. They’re also a good source of vitamins A and C, as well as fiber, zinc and a number of other nutrients — which together give pumpkin the potential to decrease cancer and diabetes risk and to help treat hypertension and even asthma.
So what exactly can be done with this superfood, besides putting it to use in traditional pie form? One suggestion Ms. Caldwell gives dates back to the time of early settlers and, in the book “101 Foods That Could Save Your Life” by dietitian David Grotto, is described as the first pumpkin pie. It involves scooping seeds out of the pumpkin, mixing in honey, milk and spices and then baking it — thus allowing the outer portion of the pumpkin to serve as its own sort of crust.
“Just think how much healthier that would be than a pie crust filled with lard,” Ms. Caldwell notes.
Pumpkin also can be used to up the health value — and the taste — of desserts that aren’t necessarily the healthiest. An especially simple example of this is two-ingredient pumpkin cake, which literally has just two ingredients: A package of cake mix and a can of pumpkin.
Other possibilities abound for adding pumpkin to common foods: Pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin gingerbread, pumpkin soup and even pumpkin curry and pumpkin lasagna, to name just a few. Pumpkin can be pureed and added to items such as cottage cheese and oatmeal, as well, and even the seeds can serve a purpose, mixed with olive oil and used in snack mixes and on salads.
Fresh pumpkins in the form meant for cooking — which are typically called sweet pumpkins or pie pumpkins and are smaller and less watery than the kind intended for decoration — can sometimes be difficult to find even when they’re in season. But grocery stores stock canned pumpkin year-round. And for anyone intent on using fresh or locally grown ingredients, butternut squash, hubbard squash and sweet potatoes are more readily available and can be substituted for pumpkin for similar taste and health benefits, Ms. Caldwell says.
Of course, at this time of year especially, hankerings likely will tend toward using the real thing. For more details on some basic possibilities for using pumpkin, see the recipes below.
Erin Wisdom can be reached at erin.wisdom@newspressnow.com.
Basic pumpkin puree
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut a sugar pumpkin in half, stem to base. Remove seeds and pulp. Cover each half with foil. Bake foil side up, one hour, or until tender. Scrape meat from halves and puree in a food processor or blender. Strain to remove stringy pieces. Use in recipes or store in the freezer in freezer safe bags. (Puree can then be used in items such as muffins, pudding, smoothies, cheesecake and more.)
Roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate the seeds of a carved pumpkin from the stringy membrane and rinse the seeds to remove remaining membrane. Place seeds on a paper towel to dry for 20 minutes. Spray a cooking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and place the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle with salt. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool and enjoy. Store extra seeds in an airtight container. (Pepitas are packed with iron, zinc and monounsaturated fats.)
— Fruits & Veggies More Matters, www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org
©2011 the St. Joseph News-Press (St. Joseph, Mo.)