The I Love Fruit & Veg Campaign: Pumpkins, Autumn’s Queens

Once upon a time, pumpkins were used in fairy tales to bring girls to castles and long ago they conquered a place for themselves as the symbol of autumn in our kitchens; now they decorate gardens carved with the shape of Jack-o’-lantern.

The star ingredient in delicious soups and gnocchi, delicious in risotto, delectable when stuffed or as a base for fillings, or scrumptious in cakes and creamy desserts. And speaking of creamy delicacies, the cooked pulp can also be mixed into satisfying and healthy smoothies with banana, vegetable milk, and sweet spices like cinnamon. There are so many recipes with pumpkin: not only are they colourful, sweet, and delicious, but they are also so valuable from a nutritional point of view, perfect for autumn days.

Pumpkin belongs to the cucurbit family, which also includes cucumbers, courgettes, melons, and watermelons. Although it is a low-calorie food (about 25 per 100 grams), it is very nutritious and satisfying. What about its many properties? It is rich in carotenes, substances that the body uses for the production of vitamin A and which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also rich in water (more than 90%), which aids diuresis, and it is low in sugar, thus helping to safeguard the health of the arteries and the heart. It contains vitamins C and B, as well as important minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and even magnesium (contained in its seeds), which acts as a muscle relaxant and helps combat physical fatigue and stress. Rich in fibre, it aids the regular functioning of the intestinal transit and fills you up for a long time without weighing you down.

In the kitchen, nothing really goes to waste: flowers, its pulp, skin, and seeds are all edible. The cooking process almost always starts off in the oven, as it will be easier to peel away the skin. When preparing a soup, the peel is as tasty as the flesh and it will add a creamy consistency if mixed together. For stuffing into pies or adding to tarts and pizzas, you might be better peeling and cubing the pumpkin first.

Cut into crescents and roast in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of rosemary (ca 200C/for 40-45 min) for a perfect appetizer or side dish. But pumpkins also go very well with other veggies and ingredients too: for example, rice, cheeses, eggs, nuts, and exotic flavours like butternuts, coconut, and curry.

Finally, if you do not cook your pumpkin straightaway, keep it in a cool place where it can be preserved for several weeks or wash it, cut it into cubes and freeze it, so you’ll always have portions of this wonderful vegetable to hand.

To find out more about the “I Love Fruit & Veg Campaign” and learn about the versatility and the thousands of recipes based on fresh fruits and vegetables to bring to your table every day, visit our website https://ilovefruitandvegfromeurope.com or contact us at the following email address ch.social@ilovefruitandvegfromeurope.com

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