All About Pumpkin~

Who doesn’t love pumpkin? It’s delicious in soups, pies, cakes, lasagna, you name it! Pumpkin also has numerous health benefits; it is loaded with antioxidants and is a great source of potassium, zinc, vitamin A and fiber. Not to mention that it only contains 49 calories in one cup! Pumpkin is abundant during the fall and you can find canned pumpkin at your local grocery store. If you’re feeling extra motivated, you can also roast your own pumpkin for a homemade puree. Here are two unique recipes which feature this versatile ingredient:



Pumpkin oatmeal

My pumpkin oatmeal is a perfect breakfast for a cold fall morning. This oatmeal is packed with fiber and will definitely give you a power boost to get you through the morning. The pumpkin adds a new dimension of flavor that makes this oatmeal rich and creamy. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup whole rolled oats
• 1 cup vanilla soymilk (or regular milk, whichever you prefer)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp bran
• 3 tbsp fat free vanilla yogurt

Directions:

1. Boil milk
2. Stir in oats and vanilla
3. Cook about 5 minutes over medium heat; stir occasionally
4. Once oats are fully cooked, add in pumpkin, cinnamon, bran and stir.
5. Serve in bowl and add yogurt on top.
6. Sprinkle with raisins, pomegranates, nuts, etc.!
7. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Dumplings
This a unique way to use some extra pumpkin in a really delicious and light appetizer. I made a filling of sauteed shallots, pumpkin puree, ricotta, cinnamon and fresh sage to create a twist on the traditional Japanese steamed dumpling-- they are AMAZING (not to mention, quite impressive looking!)

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin
• Dumpling wrappers (you can find these in the frozen section at any Asian market)
• ½ cup part-skim ricotta
• 1 shallot
• 1 tbsp fresh sage
• Freshly grated parmesan

1. Saute shallots in olive oil until translucent.
2. Combine pumpkin, ricotta, finely chopped sage, cinnamon and sauteed shallots in a bowl.
3. Lightly coat dumpling wrapper in water so it becomes soft.
4. Fill each dumpling wrapper with 1 tbsp filling and pinch the sides together so it is completely sealed.

5. At this point you can freeze some dumplings for later use. To cook the dumplings, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange dumplings in the pan, seam side up, with a sliver of space between each (so they don't stick together). Pan-fry until the bottoms are golden brown. With a large lid in one hand, carefully add 1/3 cup water to the pan. Immediately cover, and cook the dumplings for a few minutes, or until the water is evaporated. Uncover and finish cooking until all the water is gone - another minute or so.

6. Drizzle with olive oil and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!