All About Pumpkins

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It’s that time of year again! Soon enough kids will be carving pumpkins and setting them on the front porch to glow throughout the night. Although this food is commonly used for decoration, it can also be creatively nutritious in the kitchen!

Pumpkin is a nutrient-dense food. At only 49 calories per cup, pumpkin contains over 10% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for copper, manganese, riboflavin, vitamin E, potassium, vitamin C, and almost 50% of the RDI for vitamin K, as well as other important nutrients! In addition to offering a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, pumpkin is a versatile ingredient. Whether you are craving something savory, sweet, or a little salty there is a host of recipes. Check out some of my favorites below! (Click the pictures for sources)

 

Savory

Ingredients:

1 cup white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon (or substitute 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend)

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk of choice

⅓ cup pumpkin purée

1 egg

2 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil

 

Instructions:

  1. If you’ll be using an electric skillet, preheat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir until blended.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, pumpkin purée, egg, maple syrup, vanilla extract and melted butter. Whisk until thoroughly blended. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir until no big lumps remain. (If your butter or oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, just warm the mixture in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds until it melts again, or let the mixture rest for a few minutes in a warm place).
  3. If you’re not using an electric griddle, heat a heavy cast iron skillet or nonstick griddle over medium-low heat. You’re ready to start cooking your pancakes once the surface of the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on contact.
  4. If necessary, lightly oil the cooking surface with additional oil or cooking spray (I don’t oil the surface of my non-stick griddle and my pancakes turned out great).
  5. Using a ⅓-cup measure, scoop the batter onto the warm skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until small bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes. It’s ready to flip when about ½-inch of the perimeter is matte instead of glossy. Flip each pancake and cook on the opposite sides for 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
  6. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, greasing the skillet as needed. If necessary, dial the heat down to prevent burning the pancakes. Serve the pancakes immediately, or stack them and cover the plate with a tea towel to keep them warm.

 

 

Sweet

Ingredients:

1 cup white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon (or substitute 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend)

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk of choice

⅓ cup pumpkin purée

1 egg

2 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil

 

Instructions:

  1. If you’ll be using an electric skillet, preheat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir until blended.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, pumpkin purée, egg, maple syrup, vanilla extract and melted butter. Whisk until thoroughly blended. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir until no big lumps remain. (If your butter or oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, just warm the mixture in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds until it melts again, or let the mixture rest for a few minutes in a warm place).
  3. If you’re not using an electric griddle, heat a heavy cast iron skillet or nonstick griddle over medium-low heat. You’re ready to start cooking your pancakes once the surface of the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on contact.
  4. If necessary, lightly oil the cooking surface with additional oil or cooking spray (I don’t oil the surface of my non-stick griddle and my pancakes turned out great).
  5. Using a ⅓-cup measure, scoop the batter onto the warm skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until small bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes. It’s ready to flip when about ½-inch of the perimeter is matte instead of glossy. Flip each pancake and cook on the opposite sides for 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
  6. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, greasing the skillet as needed. If necessary, dial the heat down to prevent burning the pancakes. Serve the pancakes immediately, or stack them and cover the plate with a tea towel to keep them warm.

 

 

Salty

Ingredients:

Approximately 1 cup pumpkin seeds from 1 large carving or sugar (pie) pumpkin

1 Tbsp avocado or melted oil (I add 1 Tbsp per 1 cup seeds)

1 healthy pinch sea salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (162 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or more if making a larger batch).
  2. Scoop the seeds from your pumpkin and try and remove most of the stringy parts. Then place in a colander or fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly to remove any of the leftover goop from the pumpkin. (If using store bought, measure out seeds and place directly on baking sheet.)
  3. Arrange cleaned pumpkin seeds on a towel or paper towel and dry thoroughly. This will help the pumpkin seeds crisp up in the oven.
  4. Arrange washed and dried pumpkin seeds on baking sheet and drizzle with oil (1 Tbsp per 1 cup seeds). Add salt and any other desired seasonings (such as Shawarma or Curry), and toss to thoroughly coat.
  5. Bake for 20-30 minutes (this will depend on how big your seeds are), or until crisp and light golden brown.
  6. Let cool completely before transferring to a sealed container, such as a mason jar. Will keep at room temperature for 1 week or more, or in the freezer up to 1 month.

 

This post was written by Caleigh Kohel, Nutrition Student

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