Halloween's Health Food

No question about it, sugary sweet candy is Halloween’s trademark food. But, as a nutritionist, I like to celebrate another Halloween edible--pumpkin! Pumpkin is one of the richest sources of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that helps keep your skin radiant, your eyes sharp, and your joints young. It’s also low in calories and high in fiber, so it’s a smart ingredient for people looking to manage their weight.

If you’re super ambitious, you can certainly purchase whole pumpkins and process them yourself (“sugar” or “pie” pumpkins are the varieties intended for cooking), but canned pumpkin puree is a much more convenient way to enjoy this seasonal treat. And the year-long canned pumpkin shortage is officially over, so if your stores have been “out of stock” for months on end, their shelves should finally be replenished (hooray!). Just make sure you pick up 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is sweetened with lots of added sugar. (The labels can look almost identical, so triple check before you load your cart.)

I cook with canned pumpkin twelve months of the year, not just during the fall, and over the years, I’ve developed a number of creative concoctions that feature this pantry staple. Here are my favorites:

•  Vanilla Pumpkin Pudding: This recipe is a breakfast favorite in my house. Stir together ½ cup pumpkin puree, 1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt (or a 6-ounce container, if that’s what you have handy), a dash of cinnamon, and a few drops of vanilla extract. 
• Pumpkin Oatmeal: Prepare ½ cup dry oats with water as directed on the package label. Stir ½ cup pumpkin puree, 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar or maple syrup, and a dash of cinnamon into the cooked oatmeal. Top with a tablespoon of chopped, toasted walnuts or pecans.
• Pumpkin Muffins: Bake a batch of healthy pumpkin muffins. Like applesauce, pumpkin puree keeps the muffins incredibly moist, so you can get away with using less oil in the batter. Make sure to use at least half whole grain flour in your recipe!
•  Pumpkin Tacos: Brown a package of 93% lean ground turkey. Mix in the seasoning packet and water as directed on the packet label. Before serving, stir a ½ cup of pumpkin puree into the seasoned meat mixture.  Then, stuff your taco shells with the meat mixture and toppings as you normally would (chopped lettuce, tomatoes, shredded low-fat cheese, etc.).  Most kids (including my own) don’t even taste the difference!
• Pumpkin Meat Sauce: This recipe incorporates the same basic technique that I use in my pumpkin tacos.  I brown up a package of 93% lean ground turkey in a large skillet, than add in one (26 ounce) jar of marinara sauce and ½ cup of pumpkin puree and stir until heated through. I serve this pumpkin-turkey meat sauce over whole grain pasta and finish each plate with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. A healthy twist on pasta night!
• Pumpkin-Banana Smoothie: In a blender, combine 1 banana, ½ cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, ½ cup skim milk, ½ cup 100% pure pumpkin puree, 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and 5-7 ice cubes, and blend until smooth and frothy. This makes a delicious breakfast or afternoon treat!

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