You know it's almost fall when you start seeing pumpkin-inspired foods and drinks popping up everywhere you turn. From bagels to sugary lattes, it seems you can get pretty much anything pumpkin flavored in the autumn months. And since pumpkin is good for you, these foods and drinks must be good for you too, right? Nope! Unfortunately, most of these foods and drinks claiming to contain pumpkin don't at all, just "pumpkin flavoring" and other questionable additives. They're also usually loaded with sugar. Here are 5 delicious, healthy pumpkin recipes:
Soup
In a small saucepan, sauté two tablespoons of minced yellow onion and teaspoon of minced garlic in two tablespoons of low sodium organic vegetable broth until onions are translucent. Remove from heat. In a blender combine a half cup of organic canned pumpkin with the onion mixture, along with half cup unsweetened coconut milk, quarter cup of organic low sodium vegetable broth, and a half teaspoon of curry seasoning. Whip until smooth, transfer to saucepan, bring to a quick boil, reduce to a simmer for 5-6 minutes, and serve. (recipe courtesy of health.com)
Smoothie In a blender, combine:- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 cup of unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon of either coconut butter or almond butter
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon organic maple syrup
- 1 coop of protein powder of your choice
- 3-4 ice cubes-4 ice cubes
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Get the goop off by placing the seeds in a bowl of water and swishing them around: The goop will sink while the seeds will float. Blot the seeds dry, then spread evenly on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle cumin, garlic powder, and any other spices to your liking over the top; roast at 325° for 15 to 25 minutes or until dry and crunchy.
On it's own!
Pumpkin is incredibly delicious on it's own and it can be cooked/prepared a number of ways. Here are a few easy ones:
- Basic Baked: Place halved pumpkin, cut sides down, in a 350° oven for 1 to 2 hours or until tender. Cool, then scrape out the tender flesh with a spoon; discard rind.
- Boil: Halve and peel pumpkin, then cut the flesh into uniform cubes and boil until tender, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on size of cubes.
- Microwave: Place pumpkin pieces in a glass bowl; cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Cook on HIGH until tender, about 15 minutes. Move the pieces around twice during cooking. Cool, then scrape out the tender flesh with a spoon; discard rind.
- Roast Whole: Follow the first two prep steps on page 81 to hollow out the pumpkin. Roast in a preheated 350° oven for 1 to 2 hours or until tender. You can scoop out the flesh or use the pumpkin as a vessel for cooked rice or couscous stuffing.
