How to Use Pumpkin in Your Recipes

Going to the pumpkin patch is essential for a happy fall.  The brisk air, the cool breeze (at least here in Minnesota), the changing leaves that delicately fall from the trees, the hay rides, and then the actual picking of the pumpkin.  But, pumpkins are not only for October, there’s a lot to love about pumpkin, including how to use pumpkin in your recipes! 

Jen Haugen

We visited the pumpkin patch last weekend and besides the pumpkin, here’s what I was looking for:

Photo opportunities…

Jen Haugen RDN

Nature…

Jen Haugen RDN

And moments to savor…While our kids are getting older, we still savor the tradition of picking the perfect pumpkin.  Who knows what will happen when we ask them to go and they are 16 or 18!  🙂

Speaking of pumpkin, I wanted to share a nourishing kitchen tip.  Keep canned pumpkin in your pantry.

[Tweet “#nourishing #kitchen tip via @jenhaugen: Keep canned #pumpkin in your pantry!”]

That’s right, pumpkin in your pantry.  Say it like five times over to see how your lips feel!

I urge you to do this because pumpkin has such nourishing bonuses, like:

Pumpkin nutrition bonuses: 

  • Excellent source of Vitamin A
  • Good source of fiber
  • Excellent source of potassium
  • Good source of vitamin C

But even more than that, it’s smooth flavor melds well into many dishes, and many of these are foods we already love. 

How to use pumpkin in recipes:

  • Muffins
  • Smoothies
  • Oatmeal
  • Mousse
  • Cream Cheese Spread (with honey and cinnamon)
  • Pasta Sauce
  • Chili
  • Macaroni and Cheese
  • Cookies
  • Lattes
  • Pancakes

There’s ALL kinds of pumpkin flavor going on over on Libby’s Pumpkin website – I urge you (I mean it), urge you to check it out!  Especially when everyone is in the mood for pumpkin right now. 

Stir pumpkin into these recipes:

  • Stir a half cup of canned pumpkin into mashed potatoes.
  • Stir a cup into 3 cups pasta sauce.
  • Stir 1/2 cup to corn muffin batter.
  • Stir 1/4 cup into a mug of hot cocoa.
  • Stir 3 tablespoons into 1/2 cup applesauce.
  • Stir 1/2 cup into cooked rice.
  • Stir 1/2 cup into 1.25 cups of hummus.

Be sure to subscribe to my blog, because coming up next is the recipe to Thai Style Pumpkin Soup – delicious!

1 Comment

  1. Thai-Style Pumpkin Soup - Jen Haugen RD on November 2, 2016 at 3:32 pm

    […] How to Use Pumpkin in Your Recipes […]

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