Five uses for your pumpkin
Halloween is upon us and most of us (especially those with children) will probably have carved a pumpkin already or are about to embark on the task. Apart from the work of art you are left with and ultimately the empty pumpkin after the event has passed, you also have all that lovely pumpkin flesh that shouldn’t go to waste. So, here are a few ideas on how to make the most of your pumpkin once Halloween night is over.
1. Eat the seeds
If you can separate the seeds form the pulp, pumpkin seeds can actually be eaten. They’re a great source of antioxidants, magnesium, zinc and fatty acids, and a healthy snack or addition to salads. Although you can have them raw, we prefer to season and toast them. Spread them on a baking tray, spray or drizzle with oil, season them to taste and pop them in the oven at around 160˚C for about 45 minutes moving them occasionally till lightly toasted.
2. Bake some bread.
There’s nothing better than the smell of baking bread in the house, and pumpkin bread is no exception. Moist and full of flavour you can keep it plain or mix it up by adding ingredients like chocolate chips or apple. We particularly like this BBC good food recipe for pumpkin and ginger teabread, but there are lots online that are as simple or advanced as you want them to be.
3. Make some bird feeders
After all that carving effort it would be a shame to throw that pumpkin away. So find a good spot in the garden and put that spooky lantern to another good use. It’s best to hang them to keep them out the way of any local cats so you’ll need some strong string or garden twine, or a chain if you have one. And some bird seed of course. For simple instructions pop over to Get out with the kids.
4. Make some tasty fries
There are many, many pumpkin recipe suggestions online and we have posted our deliciod pumpkin and chilli soup recipe before. But one of our favourites, and something that people think less about doing is pumpkin chips or fries. And they are possibly one of the easiest things to do with your leftover fruit. Serve them as a snack on their own or as an accompaniment. Simply cut the flesh into chip like shapes – we like ours chunky but the thinner they are the crispier they’ll be. As with the seeds, lay them on a baking tray and drizzle with oil. Then season to taste. We like to sprinkle ours with garlic and dried oregano as well as salt and pepper, but you can be as adventurous or simple with your seasoning as you like. Pop them in the oven for around 20 minutes at 200˚C till they’re golden and crisp.
5. Grow your own
Instead of buying your pumpkins, why not look to the year ahead and think about growing your own? Just keep hold of a few seeds until April which is prime pumpkin planting time and then plant your own little pumpkin patch. If you want some green fingered tips just head over to the BBC site to find out more.
And if all else fails or you are just strapped for time, the compost pile just loves a carved pumpkin. They break down within a couple of weeks and provide your garden with some much-needed nutrients. If you don’t have one, just leaving them on the soil of your garden is adequate. Place your pumpkin somewhere that you know ants frequently live or visit and just allow the pumpkin to start rotting. The ants will love it and your garden will love it. Alternatively, if you have a food waste recycling collection with your local council, cut up the pumpkin and include it in the waste. That way it will be composted along with other household food waste. Happy Halloween!
