Pumpkin, is it the new superfood? We hear about superfoods all time from kale to flaxseeds to blueberries but have you thought about that autumn squash that’s sitting on your porch? What do you do with it after Halloween and Thanksgiving are over? Instead of just tossing it in the trash, cook it and eat it! Read on to find out why!

So perhaps you are wondering how do I cook a pumpkin and what in the world do I do with it? Here’s a couple of ideas!

1. Wash the seeds and roast them in the oven with a little oil, brown sugar and salt and pepper. Makes a healthy snack!
2. Wash, remove the seeds, and cut pumpkin into quarters. Steam each quarter until fork-tender. Freeze in ziplock bags until you’re ready to use for any of the options below!
3. Add to your morning oatmeal with pumpkin pie spice seasoning.
4. Add to plain or vanilla Greek yogurt with pumpkin pie spice
5. Make a crust-less pie with fat free condensed milk- use your favorite recipe.
6. Mix in with quinoa, chicken, sage and pecans for an easy one-pot lunch.
7. Make delicious Low-Fat Pumpkin Mousse
8. Stuff it! Follow the recipe below:

Stuffed Pumpkin

Every year after Thanksgiving has passed, I make this recipe. It’s one of the things my husband and I look forward to. Each year I slightly tweak the recipe and try different ingredients. Make this recipe your own by swapping out the ingredients for alternatives you have on hand!

Ingredients:

• 3 lb pumpkin, top cut off and seeds scraped out (save seeds to roast!)
• 12 oz Al Fresco chicken sausage (any flavor)
• 4 oz crumbled goat cheese
• 3 slices corn bread
• 1/4 c. sliced green onion
• 1 package sliced mushrooms
• 4 slices crispy bacon, crumbled
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 c. skim milk
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Season inside of pumpkin with salt & pepper
3. Saute mushrooms in a frying pan with olive oil
4. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and spoon into the pumpkin
5. Bake for approximately 2 hours in a dutch oven, preferably
6. Once the skin looks somewhat wrinkly and soft, remove and let sit for 10 min
7. Slice into 4-8 wedges and serve with a spoon
8. Enjoy!

Enjoy what the fall has to offer this year before you decide to just toss those unused pumpkins! I would love to hear about what you do with your yours and what ingredients you stuff them with…drop me a line!