Just to be clear, this is not a blog post about pumpkin spice lattes. It is a blog post about why we should be eating more pumpkin this fall.
Confession: the pumpkin I got in my CSA share is currently on my mantle doubling as holiday décor, but this weekend I’m going to roast it. It’s a really nutritious, tasty, low-calorie fruit (yup, fruit). And because it contains lots of fiber it keeps you feeling full longer.
Orange fruits and vegetables, like pumpkin, are a great source of antioxidants which are great for cellular health. Pumpkin has high levels of vitamin C, also an antioxidant, which can benefit hormonal health in women. A couple of studies have shown that vitamin C benefits female fertility.
Here’s how to roast a pumpkin. Peel it, cut it in half (careful!) scoop out the seeds, toss it with a bit of olive oil or coconut oil and then roast on a baking sheet. You can roast the seeds too (just clean them first). Both the pumpkin and seeds are great in salads and bowls. Alternatively, you can steam the pumpkin and puree it. If you don’t have fresh pumpkin on hand, you can buy pureed, canned, organic pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling). Switch things up and use it in smoothies or stir it into oatmeal.
Here’s my Pumpkin Pie Smoothie recipe:
Serves 1
- 1 C pumpkin puree
- 1 small ripe banana (preferably frozen)
- 1 TB ground flax seeds
- 1 TB raw almond butter
- ⅔ – 1 C coconut or almond milk
- 2 tsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp grated fresh ginger
- Dash of nutmeg
Directions:
Put all ingredients in a blender and start to blend on low. Turn up the speed until the smoothie is well blended. You may need to add extra coconut or almond milk to get the consistency you desire. I hope you enjoy it!
xo