What Do You Do With Pumpkin?
Do you have a leftover pumpkin that was decorating your Thanksgiving table? Don’t just toss it. Use it! Pumpkins are a fall superfood and make delicious soups, smoothies and more!
Pumpkin Seeds - Season and roast the seeds for a savory snack or salad topping, or take off the outer shell and eat them raw! Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc which aids in immune support which is helpful as we approach cold and flu season. They also contain tryptophan for restful sleep, healthy fats that benefit your heart and liver, and antioxidants that fight free radicals.
Pumpkin Soup – Blend your pumpkin into puree and make a warming, fall soup like this pumpkin and carrot soup with crispy pancetta and fried sage recipe from “The Iron You” blog. Both the carrots and the pumpkins are high in betacarotene, a vitamin important for good eyesight. They also contain Zeaxanthin, which is an antioxidant also important for eye health.
Baked Pumpkin Fries - Try out this family friendly recipe that is popular among both kids and parents. Peel, slice and roast the pumpkin flesh, toss with olive or coconut oil and coarse sea salt, and bake for 30 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Try dipping these in Sriracha mayo. Pumpkin flesh is high in fiber and if you’re like most Americans, you could probably use at least a little more fiber in your diet to support healthy digestion and elimination.
Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie - Pumpkin is an excellent post workout choice and what could be easier than throwing your pumpkin puree into a smoothie? Eating pumpkin helps replenish glycogen stores used up during your workout and one cup of cooked pumpkin has more potassium than a banana which is helpful to restore electrolyte balance.
