The Five and Five of Pumpkins
The weather is getting colder and Autumn is the perfect time to enjoy a mainstay of comfort food – the pumpkin. A humble vegetable, both sweet and savoury, the pumpkin holds a special place in our culture, appearing in fairy tales, featuring in Halloween decorations and being a fixture on American Thanksgiving menus.
Here are five facts you might not know about pumpkins, and five delicious ways to use them.
Five facts about pumpkins
1. Pumpkins are related to other vine-grown vegetables in the Cucurbita family, including cucumbers and zucchinis, and are actually fruit, because they come from a flower and contain seeds.
2. Pumpkin is low-carb, and contains no saturated fat or cholesterol, so is great if you’re trying to lose weight.
3. While the flesh of the pumpkin is full of antioxidants and vitamins, especially Vitamin A, essential for good eyesight and heathy skin, its seeds are high in protein and omega-3. The average pumpkin has 500 seeds.
4. Native to Central America and Mexico, pumpkins have been cultivated for hundreds of years because of their ability to be stored for very long periods – particularly over winter when other food sources were scarce.
5. There are more than 45 different types of pumpkin – the ones you’ll see in our stores most often are Butternuts, Kent, Grey, Jarrahdale and Kabocha. Have a look at our guide to different pumpkin varieties here.
Ways to use pumpkins
Pumpkins can be used in such a diverse range of dishes from salads to soups, pies, as accompaniments to meat and seafood, stuffed as a delicious vegetarian roast or in sweets and cakes – the choices are almost endless! Here are five ways to use pumpkins, with inspiration from our recipe collection.
