Pumpkins Pack A Healthy Punch

Pumpkin season is in full swing. Did you know you can eat the skin of a pumpkin as well as the flesh and seeds? They’re high in fibre and packed full of immune boosting vitamins A & C as well as slow release carbs. From sweet treats to autumnal one-pot warmers, the options for making nutritious and delicious food is endless. Sonia from Leelife says;

“Top tip! Save your ‘pumpkin inners!’ The stringy parts can be added into soup or veg stock. Better still…toss your pumpkin seeds in a little olive oil, salt and rosemary. Scatter on a baking tray and roast in a hot oven at 200 degrees for 10 mins until golden and tasty. Enjoy as a super nutritional snack or sprinkle on soup and salads. Delicious!”.

In 2020, over half of the 24 million pumpkins carved were destined for landfill as food waste. Don’t underestimate the scale of it - if food waste was a country, it would be the third highest emitter of greenhouse gases after the US and China!

Buy local

We are blessed with some amazing local pumpkin growers here in East Lothian. For tasty tips and more culinary inspiration head over to the Kilduff website where you’ll find a whole range of gorgeous Pumpkin recipes brought to you by Sonia @leelifenutrition on behalf of @kilduff_farm. To help you on your quest for recipe ingredients you can find all of your pantry essentials at our Lil Hub on Haddington High Street or you can order from us here.

If you fancy picking your very own, why not head along to the Patch at Kilduff Pumpkin Festival running from 16-31 October (you buy tickets online). There are a wide range of both culinary and carving pumpkins on offer. And with a bale maze, scarecrows, pumpkin houses and a ‘we picked a pumpkin’ photo op – what’s not to love! 

Share the joy

Any pumpkin recipes of your own? We’d love you to share them with the Lil Community. Email hello@dolilthings.org or post them to our Facebook page. Happy Halloween!

 Image credits: Leelifenutrition and Kilduff Farm