Pumpkins are a staple vegetable in different cuisines of the world. They also mark the symbol of harvest and are an important part of Halloween too. From savoury dishes like sambhar to desserts like pumpkin pie, it can be cooked in a variety of ways and each of them tastes divine. They are easily available and even the seeds are also very useful as they are added in salads as well as cookies. Pumpkins are also very healthy as they are rich in vitamins and low in calories.
Being high in antioxidants, pumpkin also helps in reducing the risk of chronic diseases like cancer. As it also has good content of vitamins (especially vitamin A and C), including it in your diet also boosts immunity and improves eye sight. According to Healthline, its low calorie helps in maintaining weight which further supports a healthy heart. The high-content of vitamin C also protects skin cells against harmful UV rays. There are so many reasons to eat pumpkin.
But usually, people don’t like including it in their daily diet as they often find it bland. So here are four unique and delicious recipes that will make you fall in love with pumpkin:
1. Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat white flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2/3 cup pumpkin
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp oil
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- ¼ cup butter
Method:
- Preheat a non-stick frying pan to medium heat.
- In a bowl combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and spices) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, egg, oil, sugar and gently pour in milk until combined.
- Add dry ingredients into bowl of wet ingredients and mix. Allow batter to rest for 2 minutes.
- Scoop batter into a pan, and cook pancakes on one side until edges start to bubble. Flip and continue cooking for another two minutes on the other side.
- Then carefully transfer to plate.
- Top with your favourite toppings like maple syrup, or whipped cream and serve.
2. Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients:
- 2 cups pumpkin puree
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup water
- 3 cups white sugar
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two pans.
- In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended and pour into the prepared pans.
- Bake for about fifty minutes in the preheated oven.
- Cool it for a while and it's ready to serve.
3. Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients:
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tsp pumpkin puree
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup strong hot coffee
- Whipped cream (for serving)
Method:
- Add milk, pumpkin puree, and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Heat until hot, but do not boil.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and the coffee.
- And serve.
4. Pumpkin Spice Granola
Ingredients:
- 2 cups oats
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup walnuts (chopped)
Method:
- Preheat oven to 315˚F.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together melted coconut oil, pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice.
- Stir in oats until well-coated, then add walnuts and stir.
- Spread mixture in an even layer on a large baking sheet.
- Bake for thirty minutes or until granola is golden brown.
Let it cool completely and enjoy.