Frightfully Good Pumpkin Recipes
By Jude Buglewicz
 Pumpkins appear in markets and roadside stands
everywhere in the U.S. in October, when 80 percent of the pumpkin crop becomes
available. Like most people, you'll probably buy a few pumpkins to make scary
jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween. But while the kids are getting creative carving
frightening faces, why not spend a few minutes roasting the seeds for tasty
treats and making pumpkin puree for moist, yummy low-fat cookies packed with
pumpkin's potassium, fiber, and vitamin A? Try these easy recipes!
Homemade Pumpkin Puree
 Get those jack-o'-lantern pumpkins for the kids and
the variety called "sugar" pumpkins for making puree they're much better in
baked goods. Figure that a four-pound sugar pumpkin will yield about two cups
of puree. Two cups of pumpkin puree equals one 16-ounce can of pumpkin. Since
your homemade version will be runnier than canned pumpkin (pumpkins are 90
percent water) you may want to strain it overnight in the refrigerator before
using it for baking.
Start by thoroughly washing your
pumpkin, then cut it in half and hollow out all the seeds and stringy stuff.
(Save the seeds for roasting!) You can soften the pumpkin either by baking or
boiling it.
Baking: Place the two halves,
cut side down, in a roasting pan or large casserole dish with a quarter cup of
water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until very tender, about 30 minutes at
350 degrees. Scoop the flesh into a bowl to cool.
Boiling: Cut the pumpkin
halves into chunks and boil until soft. Drain, let cool, then slide the skin
off each piece.
Blend cooled pumpkin flesh for a
couple minutes in a blender until smooth. If you want thicker puree, strain the
pumpkin for a few hours. Line the strainer first with coffee filters or a
double layer of cheesecloth, then put the strainer in a bowl and cover it with
plastic wrap. Put the whole thing in the refrigerator. Your strained puree will
last in the fridge for three days, and up to six months in the freezer. So go
ahead and freeze a few pumpkins' worth for those Thanksgiving pies next
month!
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
 Seeds, rinsed, from one medium pumpkin
Olive
oil
Salt
(Optional coatings: 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper or garlic
powder, 1 Tbsp. curry powder or seasoning salt)
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place
seeds in a saucepan with water (2 cups water to every half cup of seeds) and
salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then drain. Spread a
tablespoon of olive oil over a cookie sheet, then spread pumpkin seeds on the
cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until seeds are
lightly browned. Let cool completely in a medium-sized bowl. For spicy seeds,
coat with one or more suggested spices before roasting.
Low-Fat Pumpkin Cookies
 1/2 cup plain, nonfat yogurt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
extract
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 cups pumpkin
puree
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp.
ginger
1 cup rolled oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup whole wheat
flour
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup raisins or dates
1/2 cup chopped
walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a
mixing bowl, blend together first five ingredients. Mix in spices, oats, and
baking soda, then fold in flour, raisins or dates, and nuts. Drop by
tablespoons onto a nonstick cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Yields
2-1/2 dozen cookies. |
