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What a list! It’s been reported that in 2015, Americans spent $361 million dollars on pumpkin flavored items (Parade).
How healthy are they for you? It depends. If you are drinking a coffee with sugar-laden artificially flavored pumpkin syrup, not so much. But, if you are eating a pumpkin roll made with real pumpkin, it can be a great choice!
Jonny Bowden, in his newly released book, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, states pumpkin is a superfood that is high in nutrients. Pumpkin is a great source of potassium, beta-carotene and other carotenoids – strong antioxidants that can help prevent diseases and improve health and vitality. Two particularly important carotenoids to me are lutein and zeaxanthin – great for eye and vision health! Pumpkin also contains vitamin A, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus, plus a healthy amount of fiber!
And, we haven’t even mentioned pumpkin seeds (or pepitas) yet! Pumpkin seeds have lots of good protein – about the same as black beans. Roasting pumpkin seeds brings out even more of their good nutrients. You can do this! Grab a pumpkin from your neighborhood farmers market or vendor and roast it yourself one nice fall afternoon.
Roast it just like you would any type of squash. Cut it open (carefully!), remove the seeds and stringy insides, put the seeds aside. Rub olive or coconut oil on the cut areas, place face down on a baking sheet lined with foil, parchment, or a silicone baking sheet. On another lined sheet, toss the seeds with the same oils as above, add any seasonings you like – sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger to make them sweet or sea salt, garlic, turmeric or cayenne pepper to make them savory. Bake at 350 degrees. Keep your eye on the seeds – they won’t need much time to roast. Remove them once they appear crispy. Continue roasting the pumpkin for about an hour (depends on the size) until the pumpkin is soft and squishy – use a knife to test. Allow it to cool, and voila! Your own pumpkin filling!
Use this delicious roasted pumpkin in your favorite recipes, in place of canned pumpkin filling. Or, add some organic butter and spices to it and eat it just as it is. Spiral Path Farm posts some easy pumpkin recipes on their website. Check them out!
