Peter Peter Pumpkin eater!

How could I let Halloween pass without highlighting the beautiful, entertaining and delicious pumpkin. While 99% of pumpkins in North America are marketed for jack-o-lanterns they are actually edible!
Pumpkins are a member of the 'winter squash' family, cousins to the butternut, acorn, hubbard, spaghetti and kabocha squash. Sugar pumpkins are a little smaller than the jack-o-lantern variety and more suitable for cooking.

Pumpkins make me smile. They are the gift from autumn that lure city folk into the country and onto farms. They can be sweet and small or enormous, winning contests at fall fairs. This year Chris Stevens of New Richmond, Wisconsin won biggest pumpkin at the Stillwater Harvest Festival. His pumpkin was 1810.5 pounds and broke the world record.

I love the gooey inside of pumpkins and how it feels when you squeeze it between your fingers. Hidden amongst the gooey insides are pumpkin seeds. I have fond childhood memories of carving pumpkins with my best friend Heather. We would separate the seeds from the pumpkin innards and wait for my Mom to roast them in the oven with garlic salt.

Pumpkins are low in calories and  a great source of fiber. They are full of vitamins A, C and E - the anti-oxidant vitamins as well as B vitamins. Pumpkins also contain two very important phytonutrients for eye health - lutein and zeaxanthin.

Pumpkin seeds are good source of dietary fiber and mono-unsaturated fatty acids. They are very high in protein, minerals and vitamins. 100 g of pumpkin seeds provide 559 cal, 30 g of protein, 110% RDA of iron, 4987 mg of niacin (31% RDA), selenium (17% of RDA), zinc (71%). The seeds are also an excellent source of the amino acid tryptophan.

Here are a couple of recipes for pumpkin and its seeds. The mac and cheese recipe is 'borrowed' from karma-free cooking and a great alternative to tartrazine containing boxed mac and cheese options out there.


Roasting Pumpkin Seeds
Clean the seeds of all gooey pumpkin innards.
Dry the seeds and place in a bowl.
Sprinkle the seeds with your favourite herbs and spices - Sea salt, herbed salt, dried herbs, whatever you like.
Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
When you hear the seeds pop, they are usually ready!

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

Steamed pumpkin – about 1 pound
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 cups whole milk
4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
4 ounces Blend of melting cheeses – Mozzarella,
Asiago, Fontina
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Steam the pumpkin in a pot with just an inch of water. Season with salt. After it is cooked, puree in a food processor.
1. Bring a large pot to a boil for the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, start building the cheese sauce. In a pot under medium heat, mix together the milk, blend and melt the cheeses, mix the mustard, and pureed pumpkin. Season with salt and pepper.
Make sure the pot is big enough to accommodate the sauce and the pasta when it’s cooked.

3. Add the macaroni to boiling water seasoned with salt and cook until tender but firm.
4. Drain cooked pasta and transfer to the pot with the cheese sauce. Mix well together.
5. Transfer to a buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and some of the leftover Melting Cheese blend all over the top.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, and then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.
Everything is already cooked; you’re just heating everything together and browning the cheese on top.
You can also roast the pumpkin, which gives it a more robust flavor.
Adapted from Karma-Free Cooking

Happy Fall everyone!