Healthy Ideas for Serving Pumpkins
Updated March 07, 2014.
Pumpkins are rich in vitamins and minerals. Keep it healthy by choosing recipes that don't add extra sugar or fat.
You'll sometimes find fresh pumpkins in the produce section of your grocery store or at a local farmers market. Choose pumpkins that are firm, have the stems still attached, and don't have blemished skin.
Canned pumpkin is available all year; just make sure you don't grab pumpkin pie filling that has added sugar and other ingredients.
Serving Pumpkin
Pumpkin can be cooked and served with a little butter and salt. You can also toast the seeds, which are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. It's easy (once you get them cleaned anyway). Boil the pumpkin seeds in water with a little salt for about ten minutes. Drain the seeds and spread them on a baking sheet and toast them at 325 to 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir them around a couple of times while they're toasting.
Canned pumpkin can be used in pumpkin bread, muffin and pies (look for recipes with less fat and sugar if possible).
Pumpkin Recipes
Here's a few recipes to get you started on cooking pumpkin. Each one is from the Food Channel at About.com:- Low Fat Crustless Pumpkin Pie
- Baked Miniature Pumpkins
- Pumpkin Mushroom Bisque
- Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins
- Low Fat Cream of Pumpkin Soup
Source:
Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture. National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 26. "Basic Report: 11423, Pumpkin, Cooked, Boiled, Drained, Without Salt." Accessed September 24, 2103. http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3189.
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