The Mystical Pumpkin

This voluptuous vegtable transported Cinderella, nurtured Peter P. P. Eater, kept his wife well, and of course, it’s the face of Halloween.

Food  makes it’s way to myths and fairy tales  for a reason.  The ancients are trying to tell us something. In this case, they are saying “children… eat pumpkin”.

Pumpkin Nutrients:
Home cooked and canned are both nutritious. But don’t eat too much raw pumpkin or fresh pumpkin juice .
- Excellent source of vitamin A, (alpha and  beta carotene) which prevents cancer, important for night vision, and slows down the aging process
- Vitamin b5 (pantothenic acid) balances hormones
- Vb9 (folate)
- Vitamin e
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Fiber

How to cook the Pumpkin
Use a pie pumpkin if you can.  They are a bit smaller & rounder then a Halloween type pumpkin.  But they all work. Cut the pumpkin in half, remove seeds and strings and bake at 350 till tender.  After it cools take off the skin and puree in food processor (or mash).

PUMPKIN PIE

This delicious pie is full of goodness (except for the sugar, of course). Use organic ingredients if possible.

I often bake it on a bed of toasted walnuts, instead of making a crust, for home use.  It’s easier and healthier.  But if I am baking it as a gift, I go for the crust.

The Crust

½ cup of almonds (or walnuts) coarsely chopped.
1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour, (or 1 cup of unbleached sifted flour)
3 tablespoons ground flax
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
8 tablespoons of butter cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons of cold water

Toss the nuts, flour salt and sugar in a bowl.  Then cut in the butter using knives, pastry thing, or dough hook.  Then add the water.  Press into a 10” pie pan and bake for 10 minutes before filling

The Filling

2 cups of pureed pumpkin
1 cup of cream or milk
4 eggs, whisked
1 cup of sugar, (or ½ cup of maple syrp and 1/3 cup of sugar, and use ¼ cup less milk)
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
¼ Nutmeg
1 ½ tsp ginger
Candied ginger optional, chopped

Mix together. Pour into pie shell.  Add chopped candied ginger.

Bake at 350 until set in the middle.

More Goodness in Pie

• Cloves – gets rid of parasites, contains eugenol, anti bacterial, anti inflammatory, anti oxidant
  Cinnamon – regulates blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, fights leukemia and lymphoma
  Ginger -fights inflammatory disease, lymph cleansing
  Eggs – protein, may prevent breast cancer, good for eyes, nails, hair
  Flax seeds – fight breast cancer
  Nutmeg – good for liver and kidneys, anti declamatory…but too much (over 6 tablespoons in one day) is poisonous
  Walnuts – vitamin e, fibre, magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids
  Butter-vitamin a, lauric acid, selenium, anti oxidants
  Cream – protein

Peace.