Recycle Your Pumpkins
Food and Drinks Health and Wellness Lifestyle NutritionPublished October 22, 2010 at 6:34 pm No Comments
Do you wince every time you have to throw out a perfectly good pumpkin, after it’s been carved? This is the point in your life when your CFL light bulb should come on, as you recognize your level of environmental stewardship.
More than one billion pounds of pumpkin are purchased in the US every Halloween. The majority of those end up in the trash after their sole life purpose has been to sit on the front porch with a candle in their mouth. With pumpkins having such diverse possibilities, it seems like a shame not to maximize their potential.
Know Your Pumpkins
Pumpkins belong to the vine crops family called cucurbits. They are also considered a winter squash. Though some varieties of pumpkin, such as Cheese Pumpkins, Sugar Pumpkins and Sweet Jack-Be-Littles are better on the plate, all pumpkins can be eaten. From a taste standpoint, smaller is often more appealing to the palette. Nutritionally speaking, any pumpkin is a home run. Pumpkins are packed with beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that fights off free radicals. Some of the pumpkin’s more frequently eaten cousins are the Zucchini and the cucumber.
Save The Best For First
The most interesting part of the pumpkin has to be the seeds. They are great on salads, in baked goods and in a school lunch box or for an after school snack. Pumpkin seeds are brimming with zinc, magnesium, manganese, iron and copper and are a good non-animal source of protein.
What’s Inside?
Toasted pumpkin seeds are just the beginning. After you have extracted the pulp, allow it to steam over boiling water for about 30 minutes or until it is tender. Use a food processor to puree the pulp and then use it as the base for your favorite casseroles, breads, bisques and milkshakes. Allrecipes.com has some great ideas and instructions on how to use your fresh pumpkin.
Compost Pile Here We Come!
Though there are some fringe recipes for the pumpkin rinds, I suspect most serial environmentalist will head to the composter at this point. If placed in it’s entirety, a pumpkin will most certainly decompose of it’s own accord. However, it is suggested that the pumpkin be sliced into 4 inch pieces to allow for a rapid decomposition. The nutrient-rich pumpkin rinds are an excellent source of soil for next autumn’s pumpkin crop.
Toasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe
· Rinse with water to remove the stringy membrane.
· Allow to air dry or pat with a cloth to absorb the moisture.
· Open your spice rack and pick a wildly imaginative combination of flavoring: Cajun seasoning, ginger, garlic salt, curry, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice or the time-honored standard sea salt.
· After thoroughly coating the seeds with your desired topping, lightly oil or spray a cooking sheet.
· Roast the seeds at 250 degrees for an hour*
· Turn the seeds once or twice during that time.
*An alternative to oven-baked seeds is the stove-top skillet method. If the quicker skillet or open flame method is more appealing to you, just remember to keep those seeds moving. After about 5 minutes of constant stirring, they should be nicely toasted and ready to eat.
