Pumpkin season is here! Pumpkin is a GREAT way to get your carbs, plenty of micronutrients, and a heap of cinnamon, which is a great replacement for sweetener and thus can help with weight loss. You can buy it in a can – make sure you’re getting PUMPKIN, and not PUMPKIN PIE FILLING. Making your own puree is easy too:
- Get a small pumpkin – jack ‘o’ lanterns are not great for eating
- Cut it in half, place seed-side down, and roast at 375′ for 35 minutes
- Let it cool, scrape out the seeds, scoop the meat from the shell, and puree it in a blender or food processor – add water to make it smooth
- 1 onion, chopped fine
- 2 cloves garlic , chopped fine
- 1 14-oz can coconut milk (low fat or full fat)
- 14oz pumpkin puree
- 1.5c broth – vegetable or chicken
- 1 tsp curry powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh cilantro leaves and sliced green onions for garnish
I like pumpkin pie just as well without a crust. You can make it as a custard with this recipe:
- 2 cups pureed pumpkin
- 2 cups (1 can) coconut milk
- 1t cinnamon
- 1/2t ginger
- 1/4t cloves
- 1/4t salt
- 1/2t vanilla
- sweetener: stevia to taste, or 1/2c of any of these: honey, applesauce, palm sugar (low glycemic). Use as little as possible, and you can combine them too.
- 2 eggs
Mix all ingredients, and pour into a pie pan or into ramekins. Place the containers in a water bath – use a bigger pan and set the containers into it, and then fill with hot water, being careful not to slosh it into the pumpkin mix. Bake at 350′ for 40 minutes and test with a knife for doneness.
Another easy treat is Pumpkin Ice Cream – recipes here and here.
This link has a mess of great pumpkin recipes, and you can find a lot online.
Bonus: butternut squash works in most pumpkin recipes, which is smoother and delicious but also more starchy, with a different carb composition.
