(Updated October 7, 2024)
It’s pumpkin season and that has different meanings for everyone! For some, that means drinking Pumpkin Cold Brew or Pumpkin Spiced Latte drinks, devouring pumpkin pie for thanksgiving, using pumpkin soap (from prairie soap shack!) or are you saving the iconic autumn squash to decorate and carve for Halloween? But in classic Jess fashion- I am here to share some more of my ideas of what you can use pumpkins for!
"For those of you that know me, having homegrown and homemade food is really important in our family."
Cooking with Pumpkin
Being able to provide highly nutritious and simple food from our farm is a priority for us every day. So we grow pumpkins in our garden not just for carving at Halloween (although yes, lots get saved for this!), but we also consume the pumpkins in a variety of ways! Why not add in those extra vitamins and minerals to your meal? I have discovered that I love mixing pumpkin puree into tomato based sauces- adding to chili or to lasagna. Oh and pumpkin ravioli… yum! We enjoy pumpkin cookies and pumpkin muffins. Last year I made up a soup recipe using italian sausage, rice and pumpkin. It was a hit! Another great way to preserve pumpkin is to freeze the puree into an ice cube tray, then pop one or two pieces into your morning smoothie. I love using smoothies to get extra fruits and veggies into my kids.
Enough about the pumpkin flesh… what about the seeds? Pick them out and save them to grow pumpkins next year! Dry them well and store in a labeled paper bag. Or you can roast them and add to salads or trail mix.
Pumpkin for your skin
But our speciality here… bath and body uses. Pumpkin puree is high in Vitamin A, C, and beta-carotene (among many other nutrients!) which helps soften and soothe dry skin. We feel we have to make a pumpkin themed soap every autumn as it is the icon of autumn in our opinion, next to apples and falling leaves. This year our autumn pumpkin soap is called "Chocolate Pumpkin Chai" made with pumpkin puree from our garden pumpkins and hydrating cocoa butter… with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. It’s a beaut. We also had a recipe of ours for a "Pumpkin Spice Body Scrub" featured in the Hillsider magazine this fall.
What is your favourite way to use pumpkin? We’d love to hear!
Happy autumn, friends.
Find our favourite pumpkin seeds from West Coast Seeds here.
