|
|
| |
|
Pumpkin history & personality |
Dr P at your service — trade that scary smirk in for a smile at Dr P's painless dental laboratory!
The word "Pumpkin" is sometimes used to describe the particular fall delicacy used to make Jock 'o Lanterns and pies, and sometimes used as a category description for winter squashes, inclusive of butternut, delicata, and kaboocha. Whichever way you look at it, the skins are hard and inedible, while the insides are orange, fleshy and sweet.
Pumpkins are native to South America. They are widely grown today in China, India, Ukraine, and the United States. |
Pumpkin lore |
Would you be more comfortable carving a turnip, beet, or rutabega? Historically, these vegetables were carved, too. It's easy to see why the pumpkin, with its larger size and open interior, became a more popular craft. |
Pumpkin is healthy! |
The chief nutritional benefit of the pumpkin or winter squash is its beta carotene. This makes it protective against cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Pumpkin is generally regarded as having slightly warming energy.
Please see your health provider for guidance on your own health program. |
Fresh Pumpkin as food |
Everybody loves a good pumpkin pie. Then there's pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup, pumpkin spice cookies, and so on.
So what does the recipe say? "1 15-oz can pumpkin"
And what do you have in your hand? A cute little sugar sweet or baby pam pie pumpkin. (Make sure you get one of the smaller, thick-fleshed pie pumpkins for this project, not a big jack 'o lantern pumpkin.)
How to make the swap? Pretty easy.
Pumpkin — Try this: Cut your pie pumpkin in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy part. Place your pumpkin cut side down in a baking pan with 3/4 inch or so of water in it. I usually use a glass 13 x 9 pan. Bake at 350º for about 45 minutes until soft. Cool enough to handle, then scoop out the fleshy part and put it into a food processor (you could also use a hand-crank food mill). Puree until smooth. Measure out about 2 cups' worth to equal the amount from one 15-oz can. (2 cups = 16 oz; take a spoonful out if you'd rather be exact.) |
Editor's Pick for Pumpkin |
|
References:
United States Department of Agriculture. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 21. http://www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata accessed December 2008.
Murray, M, Pizzorno J and Pizzorno, L (2005). The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods.
National Geographic Society (2008). Edible: An Illustrated Guide to the World's Food Plants . |
|
| |
Green Folk Say |
|
Ok, I'll admit it. I'm a geek. Math is my hobby. Got "A's" in calculus. |
But underneath, I'm a regular dude. Love my desserts. My fave? Pi! |
Next: meet my very good friend Sam, the squash. (Ok, I'm a squash and he's a squash. But I'm a pumpkin and he's not. Maybe he'll take over my practice one day, and then I can just work Sudoku puzzles.)
Or go back to Veggie Personalities.
For the freshest garden news, sign up for the Fresh Garden Update. |
|
|
|
