Ways to use your pumpkins so they don’t end up in the landfills
Before you carve your jack-o-lantern, think about what you're going to do with it on November 1- this is part of being sustainable! Rather than being made into scrumptious pies or breads, 1.3 of the 2 billion pounds of pumpkin grown in the US, will end up in the garbage, which actually creates a huge environmental problem. When pumpkins decompose they release methane (CH4), which is a nasty greenhouse gas with 20x the warming effect of carbon dioxide, not to mention all the water and energy used to grow the pumpkins-and since pumpkins are 90% water themselves, their decomposition also adds to the problem of groundwater contamination. Does this mean you shouldn't carve a pumpkin for halloween...of course not here are my favorite ways to enjoy a pumpkin:
COOK WITH IT!!
Forks over Knives (FOK) is my go to for plant based eating, and they have a ton of pumpkin recipes- from pumpkin ice-cream to pumpkin hummus. Learn how to make your own pumpkin puree below, and then anytime a recipe asks for canned pumpkin puree, just use your homemade version. Click here to visit FOK’s pumpkin recipies
MAKE YOUR OWN ROASTED PUMPKIN PUREE (from FOK Pumpkin 101: Tips for Choosing, Storing, and Cooking Pumpkin)
Preheat oven to 400 ̊F. Halve and seed a pumpkin: First trim the bottom of the pumpkin or squash so that it sits flat on the cutting board. Use a sharp, sturdy knife to cut the gourd in half lengthwise, and go slowly, wiggling the knife back and forth to keep it from getting stuck. Tip: Use an ice cream scoop to scrape out pumpkin seeds: The large size, curved shape, and sharp edges work better than a spoon.
Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast 40 to 60 minutes or until the halves start to collapse when touched. Cool, then scoop out the flesh from the skin and mash into a puree.
ROAST THE PUMPKIN SEEDS (THEY’RE FULLLLLLLL OF NUTRIENTS)
Pumpkin seeds are so good for you! They’re full of nutrients, antioxidants, they’re linked to reducing the rate of certain cancers, they increase bladder and prostate health, they’re high is magnesium which helps controlling blood pressure, reduces the risk of heart disease, aids in forming and maintaining healthy bones, and regulates blood sugar, they help aid in a goods night sleep, and they may even help increase your sperm count! Roast them up and enjoy! Click here for a fantastic recipe for roasting pumpkin seeds
PUMPKIN IS AMAZING FOR YOUR SKIN- (yes, you can throw some puree directly on your face!
According to the International Dermal Institute for Skin Care Therapy, pumpkins offer the following benefits to our skin: Helps promote cell “turnover” or regrowth, smoothens skin, brightens skin, adds a dose of acne fighting zinc, and high in fatty acids and vitamin E! You can literally throw pumpkin puree directly on your skin, leave for a couple of minutes, and then wash off with clean, warm water…but if you want to DIY some incredible skin care, here are some recipes from onegreenplanet.org
Pumpkin Spice Body Scrub
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup organic canned pumpkin (or homemade pumpkin puree)
Mix sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon together. Mix with pumpkin. Put on skin, scrub in circular motion, and rinse. All smooth and clean!
Pumpkin Body Moisturizer
Mix together:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Store in the fridge and use just like regular moisturizer
SCORE MAJOR POINTS WITH THE LITTLE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE BY MAKING THE SAME PUMPKIN JUICE RON, HARRY, AND HERMIONE ENJOYED ON THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS, AND IN HOGSMEAD!
Pumpkin juice is Harry Potters favorite- CLICK HERE FOR A GREAT PUMPKIN JUICE RECIPE
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO USE A PUMPKIN? LEAVE IT IN THE COMMENTS!