Contributed by Jennifer Peachey

No other food has enjoyed such decorative popularity as the pumpkin. Every October 31st people all over Canada (and other “western” societies) carve up a pumpkin and place it outside their home. Originally, however, turnips were the vegetable of choice. And they served a very specific purpose.

Two thousand years ago, when the Celtics celebrated the New Year on November 1st, it was believed that the boundary between the living and the dead blurred on the night prior. The people dressed up and decorated their homes to protect themselves from the wandering sprits.

Over the centuries the customs and celebrations have changed in purpose only. The Irish, fleeing the potato famine of 1846, brought their Halloween traditions to North America. Irish folklore about a soul named Jack, and a turnip lantern to light his way, inspired our pumpkin lanterns of today.

All that said, pumpkins have another purpose today . . . they reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers because of their abundant Beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is converted to Vitamin A in the body and performs many important functions in overall health. The seeds too are a very good source of minerals.

Pumpkins, and other winter squashes, can be peeled, diced and added to soups, stews, couscous and curry. They are excellent cooked and pureed in pies, cakes, muffins, cookies and puddings. To cook the squash, steaming and baking are recommended. To steam: cut into halves or pieces, remove seeds*, and steam until tender. To bake: cut into halves or quarters, remove seeds and place in 2” of water in a baking dish and bake until tender.

Although the record this year for the largest pumpkin was 1262 pounds, the small, sweet pumpkins are best for cooking. So use those big, mean pumpkins for protecting your home from wandering spirits and save the little ones for delectable recipes like the Pumpkin Sage Risotto recipe below (see Soups 'n' Stews section for Pumpkin Sage Risotto recipe).

Baked Pumpkin Seeds

*save seeds from all your cooking and Jack-o-lantern pumpkins

Clean and dry seeds. Place on a cookie sheet in a 200°F oven until crisp, flipping occasionally. Spray with olive oil and season with salt or spice of choice.

Ingredients

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Instructions

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