Fall reminds me of pumpkins, for eating, and decorations. Most of them are such a beautiful orange color and blend in beautifully with other fall colors. The bright color implies lots of good nutritional value, and the blandness of the taste is greatly enhanced by the wonderful warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and so forth.
What may surprise you is that pumpkin meat is a highly nutritious food. The orange color is a “marker” for beta-carotene, which the body converts into Vitamin A. Other highly-colored vegetables, such as sweet potatoes and carrots, are also high in beta-carotene. Studies suggest consuming foods high in beta-carotene has possible health benefits. Benefits may include reducing the risk of some types of cancer, protection against asthma and heart disease, decreasing the risk of age-related macular degeneration, and strengthening immune function to help fight infections. Pumpkin is also high in potassium, vitamin C, vitamin E, and fiber (which helps the gut work properly).
One of the significant benefits of pumpkin is that it contains antioxidants, which can neutralize the free radicals that damage body cells linked to the aging process. Now, what does that really mean? Well, “it’s complicated”! But here is a simplified explanation.
Free radicals are molecules produced by the body’s metabolism. They are considered “unstable” molecules, which means they react very easily with other molecules. Free radical molecules search for additional electrons to make them complete. They steal these electrons from neighboring molecules. As a result, those molecules become damaged, leading to tissue damage.
However, free radicals aren’t all bad – they do have useful roles, one of which is destroying harmful bacteria. BUT, too many free radicals can create a state of “oxidative stress” in the body. This environment supports the development of chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
Here are a few pumpkin recipes you might enjoy making in your fight against free radicals. The first is my favorite curry recipe. It is easy to make and makes a large pot of 6 – 10 servings depending on serving size. As we know them in the U.S., curry powders are generic mixes of spices including, but not limited to, turmeric, garlic, coriander, cumin, ginger, chili pepper, mustard, and sometimes cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper. In India, curries are always sauce-based preparations with a blending of different spices for flavor. Each curry dish has its own set of spices, and each cook develops their own special blends. This curry is creamy and can be served with brown rice – plain or as a pilaf – or another grain such as farro, barley, or quinoa. A nice side dish is a cooling yogurt with cucumber and fresh mint, called Raita. Sometimes a sweet-spicy preserve called chutney is also used with the curry.
Pumpkin Curry
Ingredients
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 large clove of garlic minced and rested for 15 minutes prior to cooking
- 2 cans low-sodium garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and medium cubed
- 1 can unsweetened pumpkin puree*
- 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes I recommend Muir Glen organic
- 1 can lite coconut milk
- Add any left-over vegetables you might have in your refrigerator: celery, cauliflower, green beans, bell pepper, carrots, zucchini, chopped spinach, etc.
- 2 Tablespoons curry powder to start with and additional to taste
- *Canned pumpkin should have only one ingredient pumpkin. It retains many of its health benefits despite the canning process.
Instructions
- Water sauté onion in a large pot. Start with the dry pan over medium heat. Stir the onion until it just starts to stick a little to the pan, then add small amounts of water or broth, enough to keep the onions from sticking to the pan. Cook until translucent - about 5-10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 2-3 minutes, do not let it burn as that will impart a bitter taste.
- Add the curry powder and mix well with the onions and garlic and allow to cook for a few minutes.
- Add the garbanzos, sweet potato, tomatoes with juice, pumpkin, and coconut milk and mix together. Simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender. Stir frequently to keep the curry from sticking to the pot.
- Taste for flavoring. Add salt and pepper as needed. I like my food spicy, so at this point I add a few shakes of other curry powders, as each mixture has its own unique taste, a good 2-3 dashes of cayenne pepper, and a heaping teaspoon of Thai red curry paste. This is one of those dishes you have to taste to get the seasonings right for your family.
- If the mixture seems too thick, water or broth can be added until it reaches the consistency you like.
Raita
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain yogurt - you can use a non-dairy one if you are avoiding dairy products - coconut is my favorite it is tangy with just a hint of coconut flavor
- 1 large cucumber - peeled, seeded, and shredded
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together, refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.
- Stir well before serving. Makes 2 cups.
And now, we don’t want to leave our furry family members out of our fall celebration of pumpkins – so here is a recipe for Fido (in my case, “Abby”).
Healthy Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup sugar-free peanut butter or the nut butter of your choice
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/2 - 3 cups whole wheat brown rice, or spelt flour
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- On medium speed, beat pumpkin, peanut butter, and eggs with an electric mixer.
- On low speed, gradually add flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl.
- Place a large piece of parchment paper on the counter and sprinkle with flour.
- Flour your hands and knead the dough several times before placing it on the parchment paper.
- Place dough on parchment paper, flatten with your hands, and place another piece of parchment paper on top.
- Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
- Remove the top piece of parchment paper and cut the dough. You cut the dough into squares using an oiled pizza cutter or knife or use an oiled cookie cutter.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes in the 350-degree oven. When cooled, store in an air-tight container.
And, last but not least. Here is a recipe for Pumpkin Pudding. It has the consistency of pumpkin pie filling, without dairy, eggs, or high-calorie crust, and is based on the old-fashioned cornstarch pudding that our mothers or grandmothers used to make.
Pumpkin Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 can pumpkin puree (15 ounces)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar or equivalent substitute such as maple syrup, date syrup, stevia, etc.
- 2 cups nut or soy milk
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Mix pumpkin puree, sugar, and spices together in a medium sauce pan.
- Mix the corn starch in a small bowl with about 1/4 cup of the milk until smooth.
- Add the milk and corn starch mixture to the pumpkin.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, take off the heat and continue to stir for another minute.
- Taste to make sure the seasonings are to your liking. If you want, you can add more spice at this point, being sure to mix in well.
- Put pudding in small custard cups or ramekins. Makes 4 to 8 servings depending on size of serving cups.
- Put plastic wrap on top of the pudding to prevent a “skin” from forming, refrigerate prior to serving.
- Can be served with a dollop of whipped cream, vegan whipped cream, or cool whip.
My wishes to you are for a holiday season filled with family, friends, and healthy foods! Bon Appétit!
