Pumpkin is one of the stars of fall! Grocery store shelves begin sporting pumpkin chips, pumpkin bread and canned pumpkin. Restaurant menus get dressed with pumpkin risottos, pumpkin raviolis and pumpkin soups. Coffee shops coast to coast start turning out the much anticipated pumpkin spice lattes. Pumpkin may bring to mind cakes, cookies, pies and other calorie-packed choices, but there’s more to this celebrity of autumn than just the sweet stuff.
Pumpkin can actually be a great addition to your diet for so many reasons:
- It’s loaded with vitamin A, important for healthy eyes.
- It’s full of fiber and antioxidants to help keep your heart healthy and reduce your risk of certain cancers.
- Pumpkin seeds are a good source of iron and rich in healthy fats.
Let pumpkin shine in more than just the usual pie this year. Take your cue from restaurants and find creative new ways to incorporate this seasonal food into your diet – from soups to salads to breads and grains. In fact, it’s not just the orange flesh of this fruit that can add variety to your meals. The flowers and seeds can add a whole new dimension of flavor and nutrition to your diet. Try roasted pumpkin seeds for a handy snack or crunchy salad topping. Give tempura pumpkin blossoms a try as a soup or salad garnish, or swap pumpkin blossoms into a squash blossom recipe like this.
How do you enjoy all the flavor and health benefits of pumpkin while it’s in season during fall?