Fall Pumpkins: Get Some to Carve and Some to Eat!

I love the changing leaves and crisp evenings that come every October. They conjure nostalgic memories of childhood Halloweens, tromping down streets, friends in tow, seeking ghoulish delights through a neighborhood transformed into a macabre wonderland. Even as an adult, I can still feel the magic of those nights spent trick-or-treating and everything leading up to it – the costume shopping, scary movie watching, and let’s not forget the pumpkin carving.

As the oldest child, carving pumpkins not only meant preparing and cutting my own pumpkin but also the pumpkin we’d eat on Halloween night. In my family, it was a tradition to eat dinner in a pumpkin – a casserole baked and served inside a pumpkin – at a special Halloween dinner. The casserole was always delicious, subtly flavored by the sweet pumpkin it was baked in. We also scraped out the pumpkin flesh, which likewise benefited from the rich casserole sauce, and ate it.

Too often, we regard pumpkins as only something to be carved or purchased in a can, mixed with sugar, and then baked into a pie. Pumpkins are an extremely diverse vegetable, however, and can be incorporated into a variety of dishes, both savory and sweet. Like other winter squash, pumpkin flesh is a good source of potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C. The seeds, rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, fiber, protein, potassium, and magnesium, are also a nutritional powerhouse. Whether preparing it yourself or taking it from a can, here are a few ideas of ways to harness the health benefits of pumpkins this fall and winter:

• Like my childhood dinners in a pumpkin, casseroles, chili, or rice can all be baked inside a pumpkin. Serve family style in one large pumpkin or portion into small, individual pumpkins.
• Don’t toss those seeds when you clean your pumpkin! Baked and flavored, they taste great on salads, in granola, or eaten plain.
• Make breads, pancakes, muffins, cookies, or other baked dishes. Look for recipes that don’t use a lot of added sugar.
• Substitute pumpkin for some of the potato in mashed potatoes. The pumpkin will add exciting color and a nice boost of vitamin A.
• Like butternut squash, pumpkin makes a flavorful base to a soup. Just what you need to warm up on a cold evening.
• Although native to the Americas, pumpkin has made its way into many ethnic cuisines. Thai and Indian pumpkin curries are some of my favorites.
• Pumpkin can also put a seasonal spin on Italian or Mexican dishes. Try a pasta sauce or salsa made from pumpkin.
• Puddings can be made healthier and tastier by adding pumpkin. Not only does the pumpkin replace the butter, you can also cut back on the sugar because of the sweet pumpkin flavor.

Happy pumpkin eating, Ron