I’ve
been seeing lots of ads in the paper and signs in the coffee shop for
pumpkin-flavored drinks and snacks. Even Pringles® came out with a pumpkin
spice flavored chip! (Not sure about that one… and pumpkin-flavored vodka?
Yuck!) And all of them urge you to buy them NOW! because they’re only available
for a limited time.
Don’t
be fooled by the dazzling ad copy folks. Pumpkins — fresh and canned — can be
purchased year-round. And the taste of the real deal beats the artificially
flavored powders and syrups you’ll find in your beloved pumpkin spice latte,
hands down!
In
fact, pumpkin is packed with carotenes (three whole days’ worth!), vitamin E,
copper, iron, magnesium, and potassium. It’s as potent a vegetable as you’ll
find anywhere. Pick up a fresh one at the farmers’ market this weekend, and
then serve it as a side dish for Sunday dinner. Here’s how:
1.Choose a pumpkin that’s small, flat, and red-orange.
2.When you get home, place the washed pumpkin on a sturdy cutting board,
and cut it in half with a large, sharp knife.
3.Scoop out the seeds and set them aside to toast later.
4.Cut your pumpkin into chunks and put the pieces on a well-greased
baking sheet. Bake at 325°F for an hour. Scrape the pulp from the shell, then
toss ‘em into your food processor to puree.
Now
you’re ready to enjoy your pumpkin in these smashing ways:
Make mashed pumpkin. Warm pureed pumpkin with a
little margarine, ground cinnamon, and skim milk. Serve like mashed sweet
potatoes.
Serve saucy pumpkin. Add a little salt and
pepper to pureed pumpkin, then use as “gravy” with lean pot roast.
Choose chunky pumpkin. Reheat pumpkin chunks in the
microwave. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice and chopped toasted pecans. Serve as
a side dish with pork tenderloin.
Slurp soupy pumpkin. Stir pumpkin chunks into
canned soup for a flavor and nutrient boost.
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