Some pumpkins are best cooked — not carved.

Pumpkins are one of nature’s nutritious vegetables. Fat free, low calorie and rich in antioxidants, the pumpkin is a jack-of-all-trades vegetable that is good in everything from stew to seeds, not to mention pies, cookies and muffins.

Pumpkins are loaded with beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body, said Jackie Barnhardt, outreach director for Open Harvest Cooperative Grocery, 1618 South St., who recently taught a free class on cooking with pumpkin and who provided the following recipes.

Research finds foods rich in beta-carotene may reduce the risk of certain cancers and protect against heart disease as well as other degenerative diseases associated with aging, such as memory loss.

Another perk of eating pumpkin is that not only is it good for you, but it tastes good — and is quite easy to prepare.

One of the first lessons of cooking with pumpkin is understanding that not all pumpkins are meant to be cooked. Ask your produce person for a “pie pumpkin,” which is generally about 4½ to 5 pounds and significantly smaller than the pumpkins we carve.

The big jack-o-lantern pumpkins are edible but are not nearly as tasty as their pie pumpkin brethren, Barnhardt said.

Speaking of edible, nearly every part of the pumpkin can be eaten — minus the stem and the skin.

If  you’re not up to the task of cooking a fresh pumpkin, you’ll be happy to know that the nutritional value is not compromised in canned pumpkin. In fact, some nutrients, such as fiber, protein, vitamin A and calcium, are actually slightly enhanced in canned versions,  according to a nutrient analysis by University of Illinois Extension.

Getting started

Choose a pumpkin that is no larger than 5 pounds, Barnhardt said. A 4½-pound pumpkin will yield about 2 cups, enough for two small pies.

You cook a pumpkin much like any other squash — cutting it in half  (horizontally), scooping out the seeds and excess pulp and then placing cut side down in a roasting pan filled with about 1 inch of water. Bake at 375 degrees for 1½ hours, or until the pumpkin is fork tender. Once it’s done, allow the pumpkin to cool so you can peel off the outer shell without burning your fingers. Cut the pumpkin into chunks.

Save the seeds for toasting. While many recipes call for removing the pulp and then washing the seeds, Barnhardt suggests skipping the washing.

“The seeds taste so much better if you leave some of the pulp on. You would not believe the difference in the flavor,” she said. “If you wash the seeds, you wash the flavor off.”

Barnhardt cooks with canola oil, an all-purpose, flavorless oil that his heart-healthy. And she seasons her seeds with sea salt, which is more flavorful than iodized salt, meaning you use less.

Pumpkin is also easy to freeze for future use. Cook pumpkins and prepare as you would for cooking. Place in a plastic freezer container or a freezer bag, taking care to squeeze the air out.

Reach Erin Andersen at 473-7217 or eandersen@journalstar.com.

Pumpkin recipes

The following pumpkin recipes are from Jackie Barnhardt, outreach coordinator at Open Harvest Cooperative Grocery, 1618 South St.

Roasted pumpkin seeds

Fresh scooped seeds from pumpkin

1 tablespoon canola oil

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Separate pumpkin seeds from pulp. Brush oil on baking sheet. Spread seeds on sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake 10 minutes. Turn seeds with spatula. Bake 5 to 10 more minutes or until seeds begin to turn tan. When the aroma smells good, they are done. Cool. Store in an air-tight container.

Three Sisters Pumpkin Stew

Corn, beans, and squash — the Three Sisters — were an important food source for Native Americans. The three plants grow in a special relationship. This recipe is fat free.

12 sun-dried tomatoes

1 cup boiling water

1½ cups onions, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

½ cup water

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 cups diced, cooked pumpkin

1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes, or 3 cups freshly diced or stewed

2 cups black beans, cooked (one 16-oz. can)

2 cups whole kernel corn (one 16-oz. can)

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 cup water

¼ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

Cover sun-dried tomatoes with 1 cup boiling water, set aside. In a soup kettle, sauté onions, garlic and jalapeno in ½ cup water with cumin, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. Puree sun-dried tomatoes and liquid in a food processor or blender. Add to soup. Simmer 5 minutes. Serve.

 

Traditional pumpkin pie

This recipe makes a 9-inch pie or two 8-inch shallow pies.

2 eggs

2 cups cooked pumpkin or 1 16 oz. can pumpkin

¾ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon cloves

1½ cups evaporated milk (one 12 oz. can)

Deep dish 9-inch pie crust or 2 shallow 8-inch crusts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, beat eggs slightly. Stir in remaining ingredients, one at a time, in order given. Carefully pour into pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 degrees. Continue to bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.

Dairy-free pumpkin pie

 

1 package Mori-Nu lite firm tofu

2/3 cup honey

2 cups cooked pumpkin or one 16 oz. can pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

½ teaspoon allspice, ground

¼ teaspoon cloves, ground

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup soymilk

9-inch pie shell or 2 shallow 8-inch pie shells, unbaked

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Blend tofu and honey in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into a bowl. Stir in pumpkin using a wire whip. Add spices, salt and stir. Blend in soymilk. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then turn the oven down to 375 degrees. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until filling pulls away from the crust.

Source: Jackie Barnhardt

Pumpkin cranberry pecan bread

3½ cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¾ cup butter or margarine, softened

1½ cups sugar

3 eggs

2 cups pumpkin

2/3 cup orange juice

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two loaf pans, size 8 ½ x 4½ x 2 ½. Combine dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar, stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir in pumpkin, then orange juice. To dry ingredients, toss in nuts and berries. Stir all ingredients together. Pour into pans. Bake 60 to 65 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Pumpkin muffins

½ cup sugar

¼ cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

¼ cup milk

½ cup pumpkin

1 cup flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon cloves

3 ounces cream cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together sugar and butter or margarine. Blend in egg. Mix in milk and pumpkin. Blend dry ingredients together. Add to pumpkin mixture. Stir only until dry ingredients are moistened. Batter will be lumpy. Do not over-mix. Pour into greased muffin pan. Put a drop of cream cheese into each muffin if desired. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until muffin springs back when touched. Makes one dozen muffins.