Rita Carey Rubin, Registered Dietician, diabetes Educator and host of YRMC’s Your Healthy Kitchen brought a pile of pumpkins and lots of great tips to AZTV’s Sandy and Friends.
When we think of pumpkins, we often think of fall decorations, and aside from pumpkin pie, we don’t think much about eating them. Rita brings new light to our assumptions.
“A Pumpkin is very versatile and can be incorporated into both sweet and savory dishes,” Rita says. “You can incorporate pumpkins into enchilada fillings, roasted and tossed in a fall salad, and in a potato-pumpkin mash to boost the nutrients and fiber of regular mashed potatoes, not to mention all sorts of sweets, muffins, breads and soup.”
Rita and Sandy prepared an easy, nutritious and tasty Pumpkin Soup with Red Curry on the show.
Pumpkins contain fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and beta-carotene. The seeds are little nutrition powerhouses too. They contain zinc, which helps bolster your immune system against fall and winter colds, and phytosterols, which are chemicals that help lower cholesterol. Here is the downloadable recipe for the Roasted Pumpkin Seeds with Curry, Cinnamon, Salt and Pepper that Rita shared on the show.
So, next time you’re at the market, grab a pumpkin or two and enjoy this versatile and nutritious cool weather vegetable.
For more healthy cooking videos, tips, nutrition information and downloadable recipes, visit Your Healthy Kitchen.