Pumpkin fruit is a winter squash that originated in Northeastern Mexico and the Southeastern United States. Archaeologists discovered the oldest domesticated pumpkin seeds in the Oaxaca Highlands of Mexico which was a sweet, bright orange variety we are familiar with today.
Smaller pumpkins are sweeter and mostly used for cooking pumpkin dishes also known as sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin. Bigger pumpkins are used for carvings and famous Jack O’Lanterns. Did you know Irish started the pumpkin carving tradition? Yeah, the Irish introduced the tradition of Jack O’Lanterns but because pumpkins did not exist in Ireland, they used to carve it using turnips. When they arrived in the new world, they discovered how much easier and efficient it was to use pumpkins for carving and making lanterns. Hence, the pumpkin carving tradition began🎃🎃
Pumpkins are not just a pretty orange thing used for carving. They are super healthy to eat and have a lot of benefits. Some benefits of consuming pumpkin are:
🎃You can eat most parts of the Pumpkin including the pumpkin flower which is great for eye health and treating the common cold
🎃 Vitamins C and E as well as lutein and zeaxanthin in pumpkin can help keep your skin strong and healthy
🎃 Carotenoids in pumpkin which function as antioxidants are linked to lower risks of stomach, throat, pancreas and breast cancers
🎃 High amounts of vitamins A and C can help boost your immune system
So eat away people and check out new pumpkin dishes coming soon on my blog! 👻
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 35-40 mins
Ingredients:
1 Pie Pumpkin or Sugar Pumpkin
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400ºF
Cut the pumpkin head or stem. It’s going to take some strength and you might need a chef’s knife. After the head, slice the pumpkin in half, this part is easy
Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and threads as much as you can(Don’t throw away the seeds, they are packed with nutrients and we will be making some crispy healthy snack with those). Invert the halves and put it on a baking tray
Bake the pumpkin for 35-40 mins in the oven
Let it cool for a bit. Peel the skin off the pumpkin, it should slide off easily
Scoop off the remaining threads from the inside of the pumpkin. Roughly dice the pumpkin and blend in a blender or a food processor. You could use a fork or a spoon to mash it as well. Voila you have homemade pumpkin puree ready with minimum efforts and fresh from your kitchen. Use it in fall recipes and desserts.
Store the puree in the fridge for 5 days or for 15-20 days in a freezer
Hope you like this simple homemade pumpkin puree and never have to buy canned puree from the market. If you do try it, please share photos and tag Herbs_n_Garlic on Instagram!
Excited? Need more ideas; Follow ⇒ Herbs_n_Garlic for new recipes, snacks, drinks, and more!
♥ Gurleen
