Before you throw your Jack O'Lanterns into the trash, check out a few ways you can transform your old pumpkins into something new!
- Make Pumpkin Puree
Pumpkin puree is incredibly easy to make, extremely versatile, and has tons of health benefits. Pumpkin is packed with vitamins, minerals, and low in calories.
Pumpkin puree requires only one ingredient. That is, you guessed it, pumpkin! The process of creating the puree is very simple. All you need to do is preheat the oven, slice the pumpkin, scoop out the pumpkin seeds, roast the pumpkin, peel off the skin, and blend the pumpkin until it is in a pureed form.
- Make Your Own Pumpkin Spice Latte
There is no better season to drink Pumpkin Spice Lattes than fall! These very delicious and addicting drinks are a staple of the season. A few ingredients you will need to make homemade Pumpkin Spice Lattes are:
- Any type of milk
- Pumpkin puree (see directions above)
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger
- Coffee/Espresso of your choice
Simply add all of your ingredients into a small saucepan and stir to combine. Heat until the mixture is boiling, then add your coffee or espresso of choice. Enjoy!
- Dry Pumpkin Skin into Chips
Looking to make a healthy snack? Try homemade pumpkin chips! You only need three ingredients to successfully make a batch of delicious chips. You will need: a pumpkin, oil, and salt (optional). Follow the steps below to create your chips.
- Cut the inside of the pumpkin into very thin slices.
- Place all slices onto an oven sheet, and cover them in oil.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Keep the slices in the oven for about 3-5 minutes (or until crisp).
- After removing the chips from the oven, sprinkle a little bit of salt over the chips for additional flavor.
- Compost Your Pumpkins
Make your gardens flourish with a little help from your old pumpkins. Before using your pumpkins as compost, make sure to remove all seeds, foil, and wax. After your pumpkin is completely empty, smash it up! Breaking the pumpkin into smaller pieces increases its surface area, and will help it turn to compost faster. Loosely cover up the pumpkin with some carbon rich compostable materials, such as, wood chips, or leaves. In a few weeks, your pumpkin will transform into a nutrient-rich compost.
- Create a Pumpkin Spa Treatment
Pumpkins have numerous skin enriching benefits, such as, antioxidants, Vitamins A and C, zinc, and fruit enzymes. These nutrients can help nourish, smooth, and brighten skin. Benefits like these make pumpkins a perfect ingredient in a variety of spa products. A few easy and inexpensive homemade products you can create with your leftover pumpkins are face masks, body scrubs, lip balm, and body lotion.
- Make a Batch of Pumpkin Soup
Cozy up this fall with a delicious batch of pumpkin soup. The ingredients you will need to create this tasty meal are pureed pumpkin, chicken broth, salt, parsley, onion, heavy whipping cream, and black peppercorns. Simply throw all of the ingredients into a pot, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, and let it simmer for 30 minutes. After, puree the soup using a food processor or blender. Return the blended ingredients to the pan for another 30 minutes on low heat. There you have it, an easy and delicious recipe for pumpkin soup!
- Roast the Seeds
Make a tasty and healthy snack from your leftover pumpkin seeds! You can basically top your seeds off with any type of seasoning. Go sweet, salty, or spicy! Follow the steps below to make the perfect fall snack:
- Remove all seeds from the inside of the pumpkin.
- Wash the pulp off of the seeds.
- Dry the seeds as much as possible with a towel (they dryer the seeds, the crisper they will get during roasting).
- Toss the seeds into a bowl, add olive oil, and add your preferred seasonings.
- Lay your seeds out on a pan, and place them in the oven at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes.
- Place the seeds in a bowl, and indulge!
Looking for new pumpkin seed recipes? Check out a few mix ideas here.
At Forklift & Palate, you can find a wide range of delicious and health-boosting seasonal dishes. Stop by and explore some of our fresh menu items!
