5 Great Ways to Eat Pumpkins

The Halloween season is over and you have an abundance of pumpkins. We have found out there are five great things you can do with those leftover Halloween pumpkins. You will learn how to sauce, toast, smash, soup and even frap those leftover pumpkins in fun and healthy ways.

1. How to Make a Pumpkin Sauce
This involves not so much of the pumpkin as the pumpkin seeds. Grind up toasted pumpkin seeds and add some cilantro, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, a little vinegar and some olive oil. Put all these ingredients into a blender and create a low calorie, homemade salad dressing. Pumpkin seed oil is a delicious and healthy way to help fight off diseases.

2. How to Make a Pumpkin Soup
Take a fresh pumpkin and cut into one-inch cubes. Steam them until they are soft, usually about seven to ten minutes. Those cooked cubes can then be added to a vegetable soup or a chicken and pasta casserole. If you add them to a stir-fry, make sure that the pumpkin cubes are the last item cooked to avoid them falling apart at the last minute.

3. How to Make a Pumpkin Puree
Again, taking a fresh pumpkin and cutting it into one-inch cubes, you can puree or mash cook them to create a great side dish. The pumpkin puree will be a bit like sweet potatoes and if you add cinnamon or a little coconut milk, the flavor will be enhanced. Try mashing the pumpkins and adding them to regular potatoes. Your side dish will then be higher in fiber, vitamin C, and beta-carotene.

4. How to Make a Pumpkin Frap
Doesn't drive you crazy to pay for a Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino at your local coffee bar? The simple solution is to make it yourself at home. Simply blend a couple of steamed pumpkin cubes and add coffee, milk, ice, and sweetener for a healthy and cheaper alternative to Starbucks.

5. How to Toast a Pumpkin
Take a couple of handfuls of fresh, washed, and depulped pumpkin seeds and spread them out on a paper towel. Let them dry out overnight and then toss them in a bowl with some oil, salt, pepper and your favorite spices. Place them spread out on a cookie sheet and bake them at a low temperature for about 15 minutes. Toss and turn them every few minutes so they are not burned and turn a golden brown. Remove them from the oven and let them cool. Enjoy them by themselves or mix them with fruit or nuts to make your own homemade trail mix.