Make the most of your Halloween Pumpkin 🎃
With Halloween right around the corner, you may have all kinds of tricks and treats up your sleeve... but are you ready for the scariest story of the year?
Out of the 2 billion pounds of pumpkins that are grown in the US each year, about 80% of them (a whopping 1.3 billion pounds) are thrown away! 😱
This isn't just a terrible waste of a nutritious and delicious plant. Pumpkins and other fruits and vegetables that end up in landfills cannot break down effectively and release methane gas, one of the most powerful greenhouse gases that contribute to the climate crisis.
So what's the best thing to do with your leftover pumpkin? Cook it of course!
Here are our favorite ways to cook all parts of your Halloween pumpkin:
Pumpkin Seeds
When carving your pumpkin, separate the seeds from the pumpkin guts (save this too!) and give the seeds a good wash and dry. Place the washed and dried seeds on a baking tray, toss with some oil, salt and spices and roast them in the oven for a crunchy, sweet or savory snack.
Discover more recipes with pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin Guts
The stringy pumpkin bits, or pumpkin 'guts', are just as edible as the flesh of the pumpkin and can be substituted for pumpkin purée in some recipes. Fry them into crispy fritters, blend them into warming soups or bake into pumpkin bread - the possibilities are endless!
Did you know? Pumpkins are low in calories and fat, but rich in vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants. They get their beautiful orange colour from beta carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A to help boost your immune system to get your body ready to face the winter’s colds. 🎃🤧
Pumpkin Flesh
If you use your pumpkin within 24 hours of being carved, you can still cook it like any other squash. Carving pumpkins are bred for size rather than taste, but can still be delicious when paired with other fall flavors.
Try chopping your pumpkin into 1-inch cubes and roast the pieces in a 400°F oven with some oil and spices until caramelized and tender. Or you can add it to curries and soups for a hearty meal:
Search Cookpad for more pumpkin recipes
If you left your carved pumpkin out a little too long, don't worry! There are other ways to ensure your squash has a sustainable afterlife. If you have a garden, you can compost it at home. Or give it to your local composting or food waste site where it will biodegrade and add nutrients back to the soil. 🪱🌱
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