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Tuesday 1 September 2015

Good things about Pumpkins and a riddle !

Wow, well done that's a lovely pumpkin! The above photograph of one of our grandchildren was taken last year when preparations were being made for Halloween... but let us not forget that the month of September is usually a great month for Pumpkins and can fit into LCHF menu plans quite well ... in fact it can be enjoyed by all.

Dana Carpenter wrote this a while ago but it's a good article and recipe idea, have a read and see what you think.

"Here’s a riddle: What can weigh 100 pounds, is full of vitamin A, has 9.3 grams of useable carbs, and a twinkle in its eye? Did you guess pumpkin? I hope so. Fresh pumpkin is available for only a couple of months in the autumn, which is a shame. It’s wonderful!

If your only experience with pumpkin has to do with jack-o-lanterns and high-carb pie, rethink this tasty vegetable. Pumpkin is lower carb than most winter squashes, and one of the best sources of pro-vitamin A (substances your body can convert into true vitamin A) around. Vitamin A is an important antioxidant essential to the immune system. It is also known to play a key role in eye health – it’s vital for good night vision, and a deficiency can cause dry eyes, and may promote cataracts. One cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin has 12230 IU. It also has calcium, iron, protein, vitamin C, 9.3 grams of usable carb, and only 49 calories.

For cooking, look for small pumpkins around 2-3 pounds – they’re easier to handle, and you’re more likely to eat them up. I hate it when stuff goes bad in the fridge!

Whole pumpkins keep for weeks, but once you cut them, you should cook them soon. I’ve kept leftover raw pumpkin for a day or two in a zipper-lock bag in the refrigerator, but that’s about it. If you can’t find fresh pumpkin or don’t want to cook one, canned pumpkin is available in most parts of the country year round.

Still not sure what to do with a pumpkin other than sticking a candle inside? Here is a delicious idea to get you cooking.

Low Carb Chili Lime Pumpkin Recipe
1 little pumpkin, about 2 pounds (1 kg)
2 tablespoons (30g) butter
1 tablespoon (15ml) oil
1/2 cup (120g) shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 teaspoon chili garlic paste (look in the Asian section of the grocery store)
2 teaspoons lime juice

Whack your pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Peel off the hard rind, then cut the flesh into slices about 1/4″ (6.25mm) thick.

Put the butter and the oil in a big, heavy pan / skillet over medium heat. Swirl them together as the butter melts. Now, lay the slices of pumpkin flat in the butter and oil mixture. Sauté until lightly golden on both sides, and tender, yet still al dente. You’ll need to do this in more than one batch; keep the stuff that’s done warm on a plate under a pot lid.

While this is happening, toast your pepitas by stirring them in a dry pan / skillet over medium-high heat until they swell a bit – about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat when they’re done.

When the pumpkin’s all cooked, put it all back in the pan / skillet. Mix together the chili garlic paste and the lime juice, and gently mix it in, coating all of the pumpkin slices.

Lay the pumpkin slices on serving plates, top each serving with a tablespoon of toasted pumpkin seeds and serve.

Serves Eight

Each with: 89 calories; 5 g fat; 2 g protein; 10 g carbohydrate; 1 g dietary fiber; 9 g usable carbs."

Article from here

Happy September Everyone

All the best Jan

10 comments:

Martha said...

I LOVE pumpkin and enjoy many different recipes with it. I agree that it's too short a season for it. That photo of your grandson is wonderful! And thanks for sharing another great recipe.

Anonymous said...

Such a lovely photo. Thank you for sharing. The recipe is one I may try out.

Jenny S

Lowcarb team member said...

Martha, thank you so much for your lovely comment. I couldn't resist posting up the photo, and it is a very nice recipe too.

Hope you have a wonderful September

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Jenny, thank you very much for your kind comment.
Hope you do get to try out the recipe !

Happy September Wishes

All the best Jan

Anonymous said...

Pumpkin has zero vitamin A. No plant food contains vitamin A. What pumpkin (and other orange veg) has is beta-carotene, which most (but not all) people can convert to vitamin A, in very variable amounts. They are by no means the same thing, but often used interchangably, and wrongly.

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Anonymous at 19.00 ... many thanks for your comment. I think more can also be found here about pumpkins along with a nutritional breakdown https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin

I thought Dana's recipe an interesting one to share ... I hope you may try it out soon.

All the best Jan

Anonymous said...

People who are unable convert beta-carotene to vitamin A in useful amounts:-

Diabetics
Young children
Seniors

Carotenes: Not an Adequate Source of Vitamin A
http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/abcs-of-nutrition/vitamin-a-on-trial-does-vitamin-a-cause-osteoporosis/#carotenesnotad

There is a vegan of my acquaintance whose skin is orange from eating carrots. She cannot convert beta-carotene to vitamin A. That is why her skin cracks and bleeds so badly she has to wear bandages on her hands - a classic sign of vitamin A deficiency.

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Anonymous at 13.32 ... many thanks for your comment and link.

All the best Jan

The Happy Whisk said...

Great photo. Love pumpkins.

Lowcarb team member said...

Hi there Ivy ... you are looking very spooky, in a nice way of course !
Glad you liked the photo, I couldn't resist posting it up.

All the best Jan