You spent time and energy carving your Jack-O'-Lantern, and now Halloween's over. Fear not; your work of art won't go to waste. Pumpkin is rich in vitamins A and C, among other nutrients, and ideal for healthy recipes. The following are three easy recipes you can make with leftover pumpkin carvings.
1. Easy Pumpkin Soup
- Large chunks of pumpkin
- 1 sliced onion (white, brown, yellow)
- 2 whole peeled garlic cloves
- 3 cups of low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 cup of water
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup of cream or full-fat coconut milk
Cut the pumpkin chunks into smaller slices, removing the skin and seeds. Put the pumpkin, garlic, onion, broth, and water into a pot. Bring to a boil (uncovered) and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the pumpkin is tender. Remove from the heat and blend until smooth. Stir with cream or milk and season with salt and pepper.
2. Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
- 200 grams of coarsely grated pumpkin
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1/2 ground ginger
- 175g Greek-style oat yogurt
- 125 ml oat milk
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 175 wholemeal spelt flour
- 25g chopped pecans
- 1 1.2 tsp baking powder
Heat oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the pumpkin in a bowl and heat for five minutes. Mash the pumpkin with spices until smooth and let it cool. Beat the yogurt, eggs, oat milk, and maple syrup into the pumpkin, then add the flour and baking powder until mixed. Add mixture to muffin sheets, then the pecans. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until risen. Make sure they're firm, then remove them and cool.
3. Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Pumpkin seeds scooped from the pumpkin
- Olive oil
Heat the oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove any stringy bits of pumpkin flesh from the pumpkin seeds and wash thoroughly. Dry them, add them to a baking sheet, and add 2 tsp of olive oil. Bake for about 10 minutes. Mix seeds into soups, salads, or granola.
Final Thoughts
The weeks right before and after Halloween are when pumpkin is most in season. Therefore, don't miss the opportunity to create or include pumpkin in healthy meals. If you have questions about healthy meals and getting into shape, contact us. We're happy to answer your questions and give you some helpful resources.
