Super Food [Pumpkin]

Pumpkin: A Super Food That's Delicious In Recipes

Here are three tasty pumpkin recipes you may find to be popular with your family and friends.

Think of the word pumpkin and images of jack-o-lanterns and whipped cream covered Thanksgiving pies will probably pop into your mind. Pumpkin is traditionally considered a holiday food and is a staple in our kitchen pantries and freezers during that festive time of the year. However, did you know that pumpkin is now heralded as one of the ‘Super Foods?’

According to Dr. Steven Pratt, author of SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life, “Well, pumpkin is one of the most nutritionally valuable foods known to man. Moreover, it’s inexpensive, available year round in canned form, incredibly easy to incorporate into recipes, high in fiber, low in calories, and packs an abundance of disease fighting nutrients.”

What exactly makes pumpkin so super? The powerful antioxidants known as carotenoids give this food its super status. Carotenoids have the ability to ward off the risk of various types of cancer and heart disease, along with cataracts and macular degeneration. Dr. Pratt mentions many other disease fighting super foods in his book as well, but we are most interested in pumpkin because of the year-round availability and ease of use in canned form.

How can we add this wonder food to our diets throughout the year? Take advantage of the benefits and great taste of pumpkin with the following delicious Pumpkin Recipes.

Any day Pumpkin Pancakes

2-1/2 cups flour

1 cup of buttermilk

1 tsp. salt

2-1/4 tsp. soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup of pumpkin

Measure flour into a bowl and add dry ingredients. Stir in buttermilk and add pumpkin. Mix Well. Cook on a hot griddle or skillet until golden brown.

Pumpkin Spiced Muffins

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup pumpkin

1/4 cup milk

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl cream butter with brown sugar. Beat in eggs, then

pumpkin and milk. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, spices, salt and baking soda. Add to the creamed mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Now here is a recipe that can be used during the Thanksgiving season as well as the Christmas season although when it comes to food and of course I know how to prepare all the recipes that I share with everyone everyday can be a holiday for me depending on what my taste is for a particular day.

Every person's taste is different and that is what makes the world go around, but there isn’t much that I don’t like when it comes to the sweet things.

Remember your ingredients should be at room temperature.

1-2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs slightly beaten

1 ½ cups sugar 1 ½ cups canned solid pack pumpkin

½ cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup each walnuts and raisins

Preheat your oven to 350 degrease. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

In a 5 quart mixing bowl combine the first 5 ingredients then add eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil and mix until well combined then add your nuts and raisins and mix until smooth.

Pour your mix into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 70 minutes or until a pick placed into the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove from pan and continue to cool on the same rack.

Well now it’s time to eat it, get out the butter and coffee and “enjoy”.

Note: Wrap cooled loaves well before freezing. Keep for 3 months easily.  When serving, restore the fresh baked flavor by reheating the loaf on a spayed baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for 15- 20 minutes. Check for doneness and do not let the loaf burn. Serve warm slices with fresh butter, honey, or maple syrup.

Pumpkin season lasts for a while. Meal prep ahead plenty of delicious pumpkin recipes so you'll have a fast and easy breakfast or snack. Enjoy more time with friends and family.

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