Pump’ed Up!
Pump’ed Up!
Pumpkins are synonymous with autumn and they are more than just a feast for your eyes. Pumpkins are an extraordinary healthy food that is so versatile and nutritious. Central to fall celebrations, you can consume so much of the plant including the flowers, the flesh, the seeds, and the leaves. Commonly harvested around October, they… Read More »
Pumpkins are synonymous with autumn and they are more than just a feast for your eyes. Pumpkins are an extraordinary healthy food that is so versatile and nutritious. Central to fall celebrations, you can consume so much of the plant including the flowers, the flesh, the seeds, and the leaves. Commonly harvested around October, they are used for food, decoration, and amusement. It just wouldn’t feel like fall in this region without the appearance of pumpkins. Pumpkins provide a good source of fiber, vitamins, and essential nutrients needed to prepare our bodies for the changing season, along with dotting our landscape with the perfect amount of orange, matching the falling leaves this time of year.
Members of the Cucurbitaceae family, pumpkins are related to squash, cucumbers, melons, and gourds. Botanically classified as a fruit as they contain seeds, culinary speaking they are more commonly referred to as a vegetable, pumpkins have a long history in this country and earlier in Mexico. Pumpkins were recognized by our early American ancestors and Native Americans for their healthy qualities, where they roasted whole in an open fire, boiled into soups, and made into porridge and puddings. We embrace the same sentiments today using pumpkin in many of the same ways including making pumpkin soups, chilis, curries, pies, bread, muffins, and pickling the rinds. Learn more about pumpkins on this blog.
Using all parts of the pumpkin is a sustainable option and here are a few tips for using as many parts of the plant as possible. Pumpkin flowers can be used for stuffing with cheese and frying as a
delicacy. The blossoms taste great, battered and fried also as an appetizer or a healthy snack. Whip up your own batch of pumpkin puree to use later this year by recycling your pumpkin decoration and removing and cooking the flesh. Learn how to turn this flesh into pumpkin puree to have as a pantry staple by watching this video featuring our culinary & educational specialist, Miss Jenn. Pumpkin seeds are so nutritious and really easy to make on your own. Save the seeds after making your puree and rinse them to remove the pulp. Place them on a baking sheet sprinkled with salt and roast in a preheated 300-degree oven for approximately 45 minutes until lightly toasted. Use them as a garnish for soups or enjoy them as a healthy seasonal snack. Store in a sealed bag for a couple of weeks. Save the pumpkin leaves and use them as you would any green leafy vegetable in soup or stews or eat them raw, when tender, in salads. Skins and stems can be composted reducing food waste and keeping it in a sustainable fashion.
We hope you enjoy eating in the season with us on our farm and try a few of these specially curated recipes by our culinary & educational specialist, Miss Jenn, including pumpkin gnocchi with herb butter stuffed and hearty pumpkin vegetable soup. Want to try making a truly memorable and delicious meal using pumpkin in season? Watch this video instruction of Miss Jenn preparing pumpkin gnocchi!
Best wishes from our farm kitchen to yours! XO
