FALL!!

4 more day still till the actual date (September 22).

Do you know what that means?

PUMPKINS!

Fresh is best!

There is no doubt about it, that pumpkin tastes better in the fall. Do you know why this is? That is because it is fresh and the nutrients are overflowing! When a food is in season, the nutrients are higher. That explains why food always looks brighter and plumper in season. To savor this special food, preserving it is the best way to go! I do not like to buy canned pumpkin throughout the year because 1. it is not GAPS legal  2. Cans leach bad stuff   3. and it just tastes well..dull.

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Pumpkin or squash

Here is my favorite way to preserve pumpkin and squash. I think I buy about 1/2 pumpkin and 1/2 butternut squash (so good and creamy!). They are very similar, but pumpkin tastes a little more “pumpkiny” and the butternut squash turns out little creamier and lighter colored. The recipe below can be used to cook either pumpkin or butternut squash (these are the only two squashes I have tried this recipe with).

What about the rind and the seeds?

Pumpkin seeds (recipe below) are absolute amazing and chock-full of magnesium! Squash seeds turn out a little drier but still good! You can also season them in a million different ways (cinnamon, chili, onion…).

Sometimes I blend the rinds of pumpkin and squash. I always believed that there is some nutritional value in the bright orange rind too. (If you are on GAPS intro, do not blend the rind because it can be too high in fiber). I don’t think the taste is not much different. Though, I would only suggest using the skin if your squash is organic. If not, just scoop out the creamy orange pumpkin/squash from its rind.

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GAPS

Is you are going to start GAPS or are on GAPS, pumpkin and squash can be a life saver (especially during intro). It is filling, satisfying and helps to keep you from going too low carb! Try my GAPS pancakes!

Now is the time to store up on this wonderful fall specialty, because you cannot buy the canned stuff on GAPS! Preparing squash and pumpkin is super easy and you will be so happy you have it done, next time you need food! If you are planning on starting GAPS read this book, its super helpful and full of very yummy recipes!

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Save it for the year

To keep enough pumpkin around for the whole year I usually have to cook and puree several pumpkins. I tried dehydrating pumpkin, but I am still working on the recipe. I don’t like to buy pumpkin fresh in the summer or winter or spring, it’s just not as good.

I just bought a chest freezer, so I am super excited to finally have enough room to stock up on pumpkin for the year! I puree the pumpkin and them pour it in an ice-cube tray. Once it is frozen I store the cubes in a plastic bag. Maybe I will try to can the pumpkin puree too…ohh just so many things I could do. For now here is my super simple recipe!

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Ingredients:

1 pumpkin or butternut squash

*use this recipe for either pumpkin or squash. (pumpkin will yield more seeds).

few Tbsp filtered water (to help blend)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Wash the outside of your pumpkin or squash.

2. Cut off the stem, chop in half (be careful!), and scrape out the seeds (save to roast, recipe below).

4. Put pumpkin halves face down on a cookie sheet and bake for 60-90 minutes (depending on size of pumpkin). The outside should be a nice deep orange and soft to the touch.

5. Let it cool down for 20+ minutes (so you don’t burn yourself!). Roughly cut up pumpkin in wedges that will fit in your blender/Cuisinart or scoop out the pumpkin meat from the shell. (I just blended the rind and all because my pumpkin was organic).

6. Blend the pumpkin (do it in batches so you don’t overwork your blender or Cuisinart). I had to add a few Tbsp of water to each batch of pumpkin to “get it moving” through the blender.

7. DONE! Now you have nice smooth pumpkin puree. This stuff is the “real deal”- not from a can! Store in a glass ball jar in the fridge for 1 week. Or freeze in ice-cube trays for long-term storage.

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Now What?…

How to freeze pumpkin puree:  

1. Scoop out homemade pumpkin puree (recipe above) into an ice-cube tray.

2. Freeze for 8 hours or overnight.

3. Run hot water over bottom of ice-cube tray  to release pumpkin cubes.

4. Store in a plastic bag in your freezer for several months (or until next year!)

*To defrost: take out how-ever-many cubes you want and place them a glass jar overnight (8 hours). Separation of the pumpkin is normal. Just blend the defrosted cubes to form the original smooth consistency.

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.hkj

Pumpkin seeds!

* I repeat, do not throw away your pumpkin seeds! (squash ones are good too, but have a different texture- you will never know if you like them until you try them!)

1. Scrape out seeds from pumpkin and toss the “goop + seeds” into a bowl.

2. Fill bowl up with cool water.

3. The seeds will tend to float to the top to make the “sorting” easier.

4. Swish and rub the seeds around with your hands to release the pumpkin “goop” from the seeds.

5. Toss the “goop away”.

6. Eventually you will get all the seeds separated and have a nice bowl of floating pumpkin seeds. (You don’t have to be perfect and get every strand out!)

7. Roast the seeds on a cookie sheet with coconut oil or palm oil and sea salt in the oven (350) for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Give them a quick toss in the middle of baking. Or use this recipe.

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~Stay Gutsy, Caroline