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How to use a pumpkin

kayemme
kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Last night I made it my sole effort to use an entire pumpkin. It was a "sugar pumpkin" so rather small, maybe about 3lbs? It yielded a TON of food for only $2, is nutritionally packed and has a nice, neutral flavor. I think canned pumpkin is about $1.50 and you would get only 1/4 of the flesh that comes from a whole pumpkin without the bonus items AND then have to deal with the can for the recycle bin/ landfill.

I cut the pumpkin in half, removed the seeds, separated the stringy part from the seeds and then saved about 20 seeds for next year's plantings.

I roasted it upside down on a cast iron grill in the oven. No oil.
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Then the skin peeled off like paper. I was left with about 4c of pumpkin.

Then I pureed the flesh, made soup with 2c.

Then I used 1c for pumpkin bread.
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And 1c for pumpkin butter.
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Then I roasted the seeds w/ celery salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika and a little olive oil.
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I read that you can use the stringy part in the bread, but I forgot about them when it came time to use them. There was about a cup of stringy insides.

So for the $2 + a few staple items, let's say $5 worth of stuff, we have enough food for 2 days out of one pumpkin and a little time.

Replies

  • kendra1976
    kendra1976 Posts: 90 Member
    I did the same thing (boiled the pumpkin in chunks though) this weekend. I made pumpkin cookies and pumpkin bread with a reduced fat cream cheese filling. So yummy!

    You can also freeze it too. :)

    BTW, I have the recipes, etc on my blog. http://busymomeasymeals.blogspot.com/
  • Amber030583
    Amber030583 Posts: 490 Member
    WOW! You are just a betty crocker! Great Ideas though!
  • JoyceJoanne
    JoyceJoanne Posts: 760 Member
    WOW! You are just a betty crocker! Great Ideas though!

    Fantastic!! It all looks so yummy too- nothing beats fresh, warm, home made ...well anything... but I started to say pumpkin seeds!
    Thanks girls! Kendra, I'll be checking out those recipes soon. :-)
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    Ingredients
    12 ounce fresh ground and seasoned pork sausage
    1/2 cup onions,
    minced 1 garlic cloves,
    minced 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
    1 -2 cup fresh mushrooms,
    2 cups fresh boiled pumpkin
    4 cups chicken broth
    1/2 cup organic heavy cream
    1/2 cup water

    Directions
    Brown sausage, drain, then add the onion, garlic, Italian seasoning and mushrooms and sauté until done.
    Add pumpkin to this mixture and mix well.
    Then stir in the broth and mix well.
    Simmer 20-30 minutes.
    Stir in the heavy cream and water and simmer on low another 10-15 minute Taste and add salt& pepper as needed.

    Very warm, hearty and filling.
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
    for above recipe (while it sounds deliicious for meat eaters) remember, to get a "sausagy flavor" without having meat, use sage & fennel.

    I made my soup last night with vegetable stock that i made from vegetable scraps last week. and instead of cream we used whole milk, but it doesn't even need cream. the soup is delicious just as it is!
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
    i made chili and put them in pumpkin bowls. they looked great and you could scoop the pumpkin into the chili which is delicious!

    take small pumpkins, cut of the top, scoop out the seeds and inner 'gunk'. spread a little olive oil on the inside and bake upside down in the oven until the pumpkin is softened. scoop chili into the pumpkin 'bowls', eat and enjoy!
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    for above recipe (while it sounds deliicious for meat eaters) remember, to get a "sausagy flavor" without having meat, use sage & fennel.

    I made my soup last night with vegetable stock that i made from vegetable scraps last week. and instead of cream we used whole milk, but it doesn't even need cream. the soup is delicious just as it is!

    Yes, sorry I forget that your vegan.............

    You could just add some veggies to it with the sausage flavor (sage and fennel), that will make it very hearty also.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    i made chili and put them in pumpkin bowls. they looked great and you could scoop the pumpkin into the chili which is delicious!

    take small pumpkins, cut of the top, scoop out the seeds and inner 'gunk'. spread a little olive oil on the inside and bake upside down in the oven until the pumpkin is softened. scoop chili into the pumpkin 'bowls', eat and enjoy!

    OMG, that sounds super awesome!!!
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
    re: pumpkin bowls (great, great idea!!)
    re: vegan, i'm not officially a vegan, and not a vegetarian either, but i always cook meatless. ;)
  • kendra1976
    kendra1976 Posts: 90 Member
    re: pumpkin bowls (great, great idea!!)
    re: vegan, i'm not officially a vegan, and not a vegetarian either, but i always cook meatless. ;)

    have you tried the spinach ziti yet? we are making this tonight for the first time.. I know, not pumpkin related. I don't like veggies, but am learning to cook with them for the kids. :)

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