It’s that time of year when the days are getting shorter, the temperatures are dropping, and all those scrumptious, warming, Fall foods are appearing at your grocery store. This includes pumpkin, one of my favorite, most versatile vegetables. Fabulous in soups, baked goods, as a side vegetable, and even as a snack using the seeds. Pumpkins are so tasty that I find it surprising how in the United States we spend nearly $600 million on pumpkins just to carve them up for Halloween and then discard them. They’re so nutritious and delicious that I think we should all be eating more of them.

Superfood Benefits of Pumpkin

Qualifying as a superfood, pumpkins are a wonderful source of potassium, vitamin A, a good source of vitamin C, and also provide quite a bit of fiber. Health-wise, due in part to their high antioxidant status, studies show pumpkin may be supportive in decreasing the risk of cancer. They’re also believed to help with improving insulin regulation, lowering blood pressure, providing lignans (which can have an antimicrobial benefit), and consuming pumpkin may even be helpful for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

It’s not just the flesh of the pumpkin that’s good for you. The seeds also have health benefits. Helpful for cholesterol metabolism and in addition to being a good source of protein, the seeds also deliver tryptophan, manganese, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, and zinc. All of this goes a long way towards making pumpkins and their seeds something you definitely want to add to your nutritional plan.

Pumpkin Recipes

While almost everyone is familiar with pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread, and possibly even pumpkin soup, there’s so much more you can do with them.  Here are a few delicious ways to add more pumpkin to your Fall menu and bump up your nutrition.

Pumpkin Hummus

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Ingredients

  

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 15 oz can organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
• 15 ounces pumpkin puree
• juice of 2 lemons (about 4 tablespoons)
• 1/3 cup virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup tahini paste
• 3 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt 
• 2-4 Tbsp chickpea liquid, as needed for consistency

Instructions

 

• Blend all ingredients except salt and liquid together
• If needed, add chickpea liquid 1 Tablespoon at a  time for smoothness and consistency
• Once fully blended add salt to taste
• Best served at room temperature

Pumpkin Alfredo

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Ingredients

  

• 1 pound gluten-free tagliatelle (my preferred brand is Jovial)|
• 2 Tbsp organic butter
• 2 Tbsp gluten-free flour
• 3 garlic cloves, minced finely
• 4 cups organic milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp finely minced rosemary
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (to taste)
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• shaved parmesan for topping
• minced rosemary for topping

Instructions

 

• Cook, drain, and lightly rinse pasta
• Heat butter in a saucepan, add flour and whisk until combined
• Add garlic, pepper, rosemary, and milk, reduce heat
• Whisk all ingredient together until fully combined
• Add pasta to the sauce and combine, coating noodles well
• Garnish with extra minced rosemary and shaved parmesan

Superfood Pumpkin Shake

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Servings 2

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup pumpkin puree, cold, not freshly cooked
• 2 bananas
• ½ cup plain organic Greek yogurt (full fat if possible)
• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (avoid carrageenan)
• 2 tbsp protein powder
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp ground flax seeds
• 1 tsp bee pollen granules
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 cups ice

Instructions

 

• Blend well until fully combined
• If needed add extra liquid to fully blend ingredients together

For a few more Fall posts be sure to check these out:

• Pumpkin Oat Breakfast Bars
• Healthy Halloween
• Halloween Treats – an alternative viewpoint
• Shellac and candy