The Great Pumpkin: A primer and my favorite pumpkin products out there

By Mareya Ibrahim | November 16, 2016

The Great Pumpkin: A primer and my favorite pumpkin products out there

Oh, pumpkin. How obsessed I get with you this time of the year! I love you in coffee and tea, muffins and pie, bars and pancakes – even my adult beverages. The best part is, you’re good for me!

You’re rich in fiber.
You’re low in calories.
You’re super hydrating.
You’re full of antioxidants like vitamin A and beta-carotene.
You help boost my immunity with your vitamin C packed-power.
You help make my skin look good.
You help me fight disease.
You help regulate my blood sugar.
You help me feel fuller longer.
You taste amazing in so many different ways, especially with cinnamon!
You make it easy to love you, because you’re yummy.

Furry friends, don’t despair! There are even pumpkin treats for you, too.

I’ve got some of my favorite pumpkin products to entice every lover from the mouth to their pumpkinny toes. What’s best is that they’re all clean – no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. So go orange and knock yourself out!

Pumpkin Primer

Clean the outside of fresh, whole pumpkins with Eat Cleaner Fruit + Vegetable Wash. The minute you cut through, you could be contaminating the inside of the skin isn’t washed properly.
Sugar pumpkins, Cinderella pumpkins and Winter Luxury pumpkins make for some of the best flesh to use in all of these pumpkin recipes.
Spoon out all the seeds and pulp and hold onto the seeds for roasting.
Cut pumpkin into quarter and place on a baking sheet, skin side down, and roast for about 45 minutes, or until fork tender.
If using pre-packaged pumpkin, opt for pure pumpkin puree vs. pumpkin pie filling, which is pre-seasoned and often has sugar added.
If you can find it opt for the aseptic pumpkin – it tastes great! Second best choice is canned that is BPA-free.
Spices that go well with pumpkin include nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, clove, curry, smoked paprika, cumin and sage.
You can stock up on pureed pumpkin all year to add to your favorite sweet and savory recipes – it’s not just for fall!

Here is a List of my Favorite Pumpkin Products Out There...

Here’s to pumpkin season year round. Enjoy in great health, with the ones you LOVE.

Chef Mareya, The Fit Foodie, founder of eatcleaner.com