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 modern HALLOWEEN.

As you may already be aware, pumpkins are pretty neat.  They remind us of the autumnal season; crisp evenings, yummy treats, and of course Halloween.  We all need one.  

Our pumpkin defines us.

This Halloween, I decided to transform my pumpkin into a new personal masterpiece.  No more glowing faces or spooky silhouettes.  I needed a more modern approach to capturing my spirit in an orange squash.

Au naturel. 

I promise you that this decision was well thought out.  

The inspiration came from a little light reading I did regarding pumpkin nutrition.  As many of my faithful readers are well aware, I have a minor interest in food and its many health benefits.  Therefore, instead of carving my pumpkin, I decided to embrace its natural state.  My little orange blob might be one heck of a snack after all!

The pumpkin, or cucurbita maxima, has a long history that stems back at least 7,500 years ago.  Pumpkins were an important part of the Native American diet and culture.  They were used for food consumption, mats, and other products that could be made from the shell.  The first pumpkin pie was in fact made by early settlers that noticed the Native Americans utilizing the squash.  They filled a hallowed-out pumpkin with spices, milk, and honey and then baked it.

Yes, absolutely delicious if you ask me.

Pumpkins are produced mainly in the United States, India, China, and Mexico.  We all should be eating this delicious squash, as it is an excellent source of potassium, fiber, vitamin A, beta-carotene, and lutein.  Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of omega-3 fats and may help lower cholesterol.  According to my favorite book of all time, "101 Foods that can save your life," consuming pumpkin seeds may help reduce enlarged prostate glands.  In addition, pumpkin may alleviate some of the symptoms related to diabetes.

There are basically 2 main forms of pumpkins.  The one we most typically recognize are those that are best used for carving.  These pumpkins are not good for personal consumption.  Canning pumpkins are better to use in pies, breads, and other forms because they are sweeter and less watery.  Make sure to choose a pumpkin that is heavy and has a good shape.  Once cut open, the pumpkin must be cooked the same day.

A few good tips on the general consumption of a pumpkin:

1. Dice sweet pumpkins up.  Sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon, and drizzle a little olive oil onto the pieces.  Bake on a cookie sheet at 375 degrees until pumpkin pieces look brown and tender.
2. Puree pumpkin, carrot, ginger, onions, and leeks together.  Add vegetable stock and some spices to make a simple, yet delicious soup.
3. When roasting pumpkin seeds, first rinse them thoroughly.  Spread the seeds out evenly on a cookie sheet.  Drizzle butter or oil on them to give them extra flavor.  You may also had some brown sugar and salt to make them EXCELLENT.