Pumpkin has been popping up in all kinds of foods lately –
muffins, soups, lattes, even beer. This
seasonal produce is actually a nutritional powerhouse.
Canned pumpkin (commercially prepared pumpkin is usually NOT
the same variety as the one you carved up for Halloween) is the easiest to use
for cooking and baking, and even though it’s processed still has loads of
carotenoids. Carotenoids are
phytonutrients – chemicals found naturally in plants - that give pumpkin its
orange hue, plus have been found to help protect against cancer, heart disease,
and age-related vision loss. In
addition, pumpkin contains fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin E, and
iron.
Here are some simple ways you can use canned pumpkin to
spice up some easy meals:
-
Add a few spoonful to warm oatmeal along with
some brown sugar.
-
Mix with cream cheese for a flavorful bagel
spread
-
Mix with chicken broth and spices and heat, for
a quick and tasty soup
-
Mash boiled sweet potatoes and add some pumpkin
-
Blend up in smoothie with vanilla yogurt and a
frozen banana
-
Whisk into pancake batter
Thanksgiving break will be here soon, so while you are home,
try experimenting with a few new dishes using pumpkin, and gain some of the
health benefits of this tasty and versatile squash!
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